Maria Leonard Olsen on Her Thanksgiving Letter Tradition
- Nov 10, 2025
- 3 min read
Adopting an attitude of gratitude changed my life. I am a civil litigation attorney, author, journalist, public speaker, and podcaster. Infusing every aspect of my life with gratitude upleveled everything.
At age 50, I did a drastic pivot. I got divorced, sober, became an empty nester, and returned to practicing law after 15 years as an at-home mother to my children. Instead of focusing on all I had lost, I decided to focus on all I have.
After volunteering abroad in a developing nation, I realized that I have access to clean water, food, electricity, and health care are things that many in the world do not have. I also realized that I alone am responsible for my own happiness. Gratitude increases happiness.
If we focus on what we do not have, we will never be happy. If we focus on what we do have, we will always have enough. What we choose to focus on multiplies.
To underscore my blessings, I began a practice years ago of handwriting a letter of thanks every Thanksgiving to someone who has positively affected my life. Handwritten letters are a dying art. Every recipient of a handwritten letter appreciates it, especially if it is written with love and thanks. I received handwritten notes of thanks from Attorney General Janet Reno when I was an attorney at the U.S. Justice Department. I actually framed it!
I am 13 years sober and did not get to this point alone. My Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor received a letter of thanks from me. She did not expect it because part of AA is paying it forward, so helping me helped her, as well. But she certainly appreciated my letter.
I have written to friends who have supported and uplifted me. I have thanked my mentor from when I was a young attorney, who had faith in me and took time to teach me what it takes to excel in the legal field. I am part of her legacy.
I am grateful that I sent a letter of gratitude to my mother because she passed away suddenly in an accident this year. She was a bit astonished by my letter and asked if I was dying. I assured her I was not, and we shared tears of joy together.
All of these Thanksgiving letters deepened my relationships with the recipients. They ensured that important things did not go unsaid.
Letting people know that they are appreciated is important, especially with so much negativity in today’s world. Let your support team know how grateful you are for them. Such gestures will not be forgotten and may prompt them to go the extra mile for you in the future.
I believe in the law of attraction and manifesting good things in one’s life. And doing esteemable acts builds our self-esteem.
Who helped you ascend in life? Who supported you when you needed it? Who helped you get your first job or first promotion? Who helped you believe in yourself or taught you important lessons? All of these people deserve to know you have not forgotten their kindness and effort, even if it has been years since they made an impact on your life.
And a handwritten letter is more impactful than an email.
None of us knows how much time we have in this life. Time is the one thing none of us can buy. When we leave this earth, we cannot take anything with us. Our legacy is really our relationships, which are built on how we made people feel when we were here. Choose gratitude and change your life.
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