Thursday, November 22, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving!

There's no time to blog til the weekend so I'm reposting a piece. I wrote this 3 years ago. A lot has happened in the interim, but it still applies.

This has become my favorite holiday. A day to relax, take stock, eat my favorite foods and even watch a parade in my old hometown. Somehow, the cooking of Thanksgiving has never seemed like work to me. It's a magical meal. I guess having done it for so many years it's as though it puts itself together.

So yes, I'm thankful for our food, and the animals and the vegetables and the minerals that make it possible.
I'm thankful for the people in my life. I'm thankful for a safe home with potable running water (even hot water!). I'm thankful for appropriate clothing and shoes. I'm thankful for a lively community. I'm thankful for my education, and all the things that have happened in my life to bring me to this point. I'm thankful for Brooks Library and the folks who work there. I'm thankful for my aides who help keep me rolling along. I'm thankful for all my projects and the ability to keep working on them. I'm thankful for all of life's lessons; they teach me to be able to help others. I'm thankful for the Earth that supports us, the Sun and Moon and Stars, the wonders of nature and science and religion. I'm thankful for my family and my forebears. I'm thankful for my heritage and uncovering history and still being able to think. I'm thankful for the progress of social justice and all those who work for it. I'm thankful for my computer and the internet, which have brought me new friends and information and entertainment and cultures I'd not have known otherwise. And which has made it so easy to become close to and keep up with all the lives I care about. I'm thankful for music and art that give me succor when I'm down. I'm thankful for people who make my spirit soar and my brain think. I'm thankful I have enough of everything to share and celebrate life. I'm thankful for life itself.

On this day of thanks I want to start making it a practice to be mindful of being thankful every day. I have so much to be thankful for every day, not just today.

Happy Thanksgiving.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours Laura....may you all have a wonderful day together. There truly is, so very much to be thankful for.

Austan said...

Thank you Lawless. It was fun and filling and a much bigger meal than this system is used to... but it was all so good. 4 hours later and we haven't even touched pie yet. We used to be able to pack it away!
We are all quite happy and yes, thankful, and while Ems snoozes and the Beest lounges, all is calm, all is bright in the Shire tonight. I wish everyone the same.

MunirGhiasuddin said...

I am not so sure about people who made my brain sore, but I had a lot of people who were harsh with constructive criticism in my life and now when you have reminded me of them, I do thank them too cause how else would I correct myself.
I hope that your Thanksgiving day was good and fun.

Austan said...

Munir- that's a 2-for-1 deal. You learn by what they're meaning and also learning to not do it the way they did.
It was. I hope yours was too, dear.

klahanie said...

Hi Laura,

I'm thankful for the hopeful and positive ideals you embrace.

I know you are grateful for all the good is in your life. Hoping you had a most peaceful, positive and reflective Thanksgiving. May your weekend be happy.

Gary
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