In a couple of days, it will be Thanksgiving for those of us who live in the US, a day when we’re supposed to focus on our blessings and all we have to be grateful for. Even though the world around me seems to have gone mad, even though fear and hatred seem to have gone viral on the internet and through the media, even though I’ve been upset enough by the tragedies that surround us that I’ve been brought to tears, I still have a great deal to be thankful for.
First and foremost, there is my family. Our family gatherings have shrunk over the years. Thirty-seven years ago, when my husband and I held our first Thanksgiving in our new house, there were 27 people at the table. This year there will be six. Some of those original guests moved away and sadly, too many of the others have passed away. They may not be sitting around the table with us, but their spirit certainly will be there, and we’ll talk and laugh and remember the happy times when we were all together.
I am grateful for my husband, who I’ve shared lifetimes with. During all the good times and the bad, our love has carried us through it all. I am grateful for my children. To know they are in the world, that they are healthy and happy; that they have grown into good people is a blessing I never take for granted. Even if I don’t get to see them as much as I’d like, maybe especially because I don’t, I’m so happy we can be together on Thanksgiving day.
I’m thankful I have a place to live and food on the table, thankful that we have our jobs, and aside from the general complaints of aging, we have our health. I’m thankful to live in a country where we have the freedom to think and believe in what we choose, even if there are times when other people’s beliefs leave me shaking my head. I am thankful to all those over the generations who fought to protect those freedoms. We owe them a debt that can never truly be repaid, but we can try by remembering history so we do not repeat its evils.
The fact that at this point in my life I have three books of poetry published is amazing to me. Knowing that people are reading and enjoying my words is more than a dream come true, it’s a dream I never dared to dream come true. To all of you who have read my poetry or are reading this blog, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
No matter who we are, if we think hard enough, we can find things to be thankful for. True, some of us may have more material things than others, but if we have love in our hearts and share it with others, then our cornucopia is overflowing. As we move into the holiday season, let us all remember to spread kindness wherever we can. No matter if you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or Ramadan, I wish you much joy and happy times spent with those that you love.
Praise Thanksgiving!
There’s so much to be grateful for!
Praise Thanksgiving!
Loved ones passed and those still living
are with us now and evermore;
with such riches we’re never poor.
Praise Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
~Elise Skidmore
November 2015
Same to you Elise!!
Thanks, Evelyn!
Happy Thanksgiving, Cha-sister! 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving, Linda! I hope there’s some chocolate to go with your pumpkin pie. Maybe someone can make those little pilgrim hats in the picture!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family Elise! Great words! May I add that we should try to be thankful for big and little things all year ’round too – at least that’s what I try to do. From the little purple flowers struggling to live in the grass a couple of weeks ago, (right now snow is falling and we have a heavy snowfall warning overnight,) to being thankful my mom’s cancer seems to be slow growing to this point, giving us more time with her,) there’s usually something every day to be thankful for. I’m thankful that you’ve been my friend for twenty two years now, even though we’ve never met face to face. 🙂 Enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend!!! 🙂 Hugs, Reenie
Thanks, Reenie!
You’re absolutely right–appreciating all the little blessing that surround us each day of the year is an important habit to cultivate. Even when things seem at their lowest, we should strive to remember the blessing we have and that there’s always someone in a worse situation than we are. I’m so happy to hear your mom’s doing well, and I shall keep my fingers crossed that it continues. Has it been 22 years? Not quite, I think, but close enough for government work, as they say. I know you’ve already celebrated Thanksgiving, so let me wish you a wonderful Christmas season instead.
Delightful! Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks so much! And a very happy Thanksgiving to you too!
Elise – your comments are spot on- one of your many gifts is to eloquently express with words what many of us feel but lack the ability to articulate. Add gratitude for long-time friends (note I avoided the word ‘old’) to the list of that for which I am grateful this holiday season. Love to you & your family. Joyce
Thank you, Joyce!
I don’t know how I missed mentioning how thankful I am for all my friends, both the ones I’ve known forever and those who are relatively new. Maybe because once I call you my friend, you really become more like family. It doesn’t matter how long a time it is between visits, when we connect it’s like it was only yesterday. Have a terrific Thanksgiving. Love to you and Al and the girls!