Thanksgiving.
All over the world, people are blogging and posting about Thanksgiving, and I’m no exception. There are some times when I’m crystal clear on how fortunate I am to be living in this town, state, and country. I am free to worship. I vote without fear. My family and I are generally safe from hurricanes, tornadoes, and poisonous snakes. Our infrastructure and community are strong. And of course, we love and are loved in such magnitude that we are given and give back an incredible safety net. So you can imagine how I feel about Thanksgiving. It’s not that everything is rosy–there are disappointing political decisions, illnesses and deaths, the challenges of raising teenagers, and occurrences such as surprise water damage. That’s life. But thankfulness moves beyond life, I think. It encompasses from the big picture to the small detail, from the beauty of the moon to the feeling of a child’s small hand in yours. And thankfulness is unifying; it is a concept most people can relate to and celebrate. I often scarf about our country. It often embarrasses me and drives me crazy. I think wishfully of moving elsewhere, and even ponder real estate in Cornwall or Tuscany. The truth is, when Thanksgiving comes around, I’m so very grateful to be right where I am, doing what I love, with the people I care for. Even if it’s snowing.
Oh, Lisa you delight my tired heart and body and remind me of so much we have to be thankful for. I am thankful for our long, warm Autumn – it’s 37 degrees and we have NO snow, very odd for Alaska. We are mostly healthy and mostly strong although some things take longer to do than they used to. We are blessed in so many ways and yet I can still find things to complain about. I am refreshed by your positive attitude and will begin dinner right away with a new enthusiasm. I am thankful for you!
“‘The challenges of raising teenagers’, I wonder which one of us she’s talking about”
“Well you’re 13, it could be you”
“But we both know which one of us is more challenging” – Livia
You two are too funny!