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I've always enjoyed Thanksgiving so much more than Christmas. Celebrating thanksgiving was never lost in shopping and gifting though nowadays, most retail companies seem to extort any holiday to glorify sales, discounts and in general, unnecessary material goods. Growing up, thanksgiving was a pure holiday -- free of physicism and full of grace. Thanksgivings past were also devoid of screen time. In the midst of our so very plugged in lives, I arduously work to limit my toddler's time with technology -- tv, nook, Mama & Dad's iphones, desktop, even her Leapfrog laptop. She is of the generation that knows how to swipe way before their first birthday.
Thanksgivings past were about our family sitting at the table for more than three-hour feasts, actually sharing what we were grateful for, and engaging each other in authentic conversations with frequent ribbing for fun, of course.
I want my daughter to appreciate Thanksgiving in all of its pureness. She knows that Thank You Day is in two days. We made sure to pick up a couple of branches at the park for our Thank You tree, and we spent the afternoon making leaves and attaching ribbon to them which bear, "I am thankful for . . . " On the eve of Thanksgiving, Mama, Dad & N. will make time to write what they're thankful on the leaves, and we'll hang them on our Thank You tree.
Just trying to keep the holiday . . . pure . . . and simple.
thankful for my life
that is tenderly full of my daughter & partner
thankful for family & friends
who generously share their time & treasures
thankful for these sacred moments to write,
to pray . . .
they are my breaths of fire that hearten me
In the age of the modern rush, my thanksgiving wish for family & friends --
May you still find the time to be still, may your hearts be full, and may you always bask in Life's blessings.
