Thank You

Some people lament that we have one day that we officially give thanks and argue that it should be part of our every day lives to offer be thankful for the many gifts and blessings in our lives. I would argue, however, that Thanksgiving isn't about being the only day that we appreciate the richness in our lives but rather it's about honoring the fact that gratitude is a part of our daily living. A subtle difference, perhaps, but rather than it being about offering thanks, I think it should be a symbol and a celebration that kindness is indeed part of what we offer and receive each day. For every, ahem, choice set of words that we think or say about parking space stealers (undoubtedly in front of impressionable ears), I would guess that we let someone cut in front of us in line or we say thank you to an employee who helps us out to the car. I think that we offer small acts of kindness and pay it forward lots and lots of times, probably without even thinking, and that Thanksgiving is a way to honor those small graces and encourage us to keep faith in other people. We should be thankful every day, yes, but I think most of us are. We might not always check it off our to-do list at night but we both give and receive help and hope every day. Thanksgiving is also about acknowledging the big stuff we have going for us -- a roof, if we have it; healthy families, if we have them; friendships, if we have them; food to eat, if we do -- and I think it's beautiful that we do that. But, these big blessings are built on the foundation of the small things that happen in each 24-hour cycle. The little threads of kindness and thankfulness that we weave together through listening to friends, reaching out to family, helping strangers, being grateful, receiving help graciously, all construct a strong social fabric that can withstand lots of stretching and pulling when big events happen. The whole truly becomes greater than the sum of its parts. It's not all sunshine and rainbows, and sacrifice and sadness really does need to be present at the table, but our souls need feeding and nourishing to keep on going, too. And so, I don't mind one bit that we have Thanksgiving only once a year because rather than take the time to appreciate only the big gifts in our lives, it's a day to commemorate the good that happens each minute of each hour of each day. It's not a day to be thankful of things in comparison to anyone else, it's simply a day to be present in the goodness that is now and honor the kindness and generosity that swirls around us and that we offer up on the other 364 days of the year. 

I'm certainly thankful for our Thanksgiving scene this year. I always miss my own family on holidays when we're not together, but I'm so very grateful that I a,m a part of this loving and generous group of people. The monkeys in the house certainly made for an entertaining, as always, day. 

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving.