Wherever you happen to be gathering today, may you be with people who have thankful hearts and giving spirits.
The diversity of Thanksgiving menus offered today reflects the healing powers of food, love, family and friends gathering with one celebration in mind. Lasagna, Vietnamese soup or a traditional roasted turkey with all of the imaginable sides. Today has been set aside on the national calendar to give thanks for the food and other gifts that are served and shared as a sign of gratitude for the many blessings we have received.
While I recognize our desire to be thankful today, I also am thinking of those who will find it very difficult to feel thankful today. If you are facing Thanksgiving Day without a loved one who may have recently died, there is not much that you want to celebrate. You may feel outside of yourself today, marking time, watching yourself say words that don’t mean anything and doing things that feel hollow.
I am truly sorry for your loss and for what you are feeling today. There is no right or wrong to the way you grieve and if you feel that you are not up to the festivities of today, take care of yourself and do what feels right for you.
Life is fragile and holidays heighten and accentuate the need for a loved one and connection with those who we care about.
In my thoughts and prayers today is the family of a woman who cleans our office building. She had a stroke yesterday and was found by another worker as she was lying on the floor unable to respond. We found out later yesterday that she had emergency brain surgery for a blocked blood vessel. May she rest and recover as we give thanks today for our many gifts.
In my family, we will be giving many thanks that our 89-year-old father was released from the hospital Wednesday and is now at home resting and having a quiet Thanksgiving. I will be giving thanks today to the men and women who work in hospitals as doctors, nurses, emergency technicians, aides and volunteers. Their invaluable support and patience with people who are ill and the families and friends who try to process what is happening is always amazing to me.
Even in the midst of this year’s wigged out and crazy election, there is something for all of us to be thankful for. It may require a lot of searching to find out what that would be but rest assured it is there. On second thought maybe the election should stay off the Thanksgiving menu.
But I do know that when I bow my head today to give thanks I will also be grateful for the loving kindness of my new family from my son’s recent marriage this past June. I will be having Thanksgiving dinner with my new family and look forward to the making of new family traditions. Life is fragile but it also holds wonderful surprises which are revealed to you in its own time. Take them when they are offered, grab them and hold on for dear life.
Thank you dear readers for your support and continuing feedback. When we share our life stories, I truly believe we strengthen ourselves and those around us.
I could not find the author of this inspirational quote but I feel it resonates with us today: Helping a person will not necessarily change the world, but it will change the world for that person.
Steady on my friends and may you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day full of love and delicious food!
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