Give Thanks
I worked a Thanksgiving or two. It was totally by choice. A few times at a restaurant and I think once or twice at Disneyland. I loved it. Serving at the restaurant and singing at Disneyland. I liked meeting the families that did the unconventional...or maybe they were just looking for a distraction. One could pick up on that pretty quickly. Some folks were just tired of cooking. I don't think I served anyone that was alone though. That would have been tough. I mean at Disneyland, you really couldn't tell who was alone and who wasn't. Maybe the wife was shopping and the husband just wanted to hang out and hear some Christmas music. You are generally surrounded by fun, kids, grandparents and characters. You are engulfed by the aroma, the music and the feeling of love. The restaurant..well. If someone came in alone, on Thanksgiving, it would have been tough to just smile and serve turkey..and not ask questions.
I remember flying to Lake Havasu to visit my mom one Thanksgiving. I felt alone. I had just found out that the long term relationship I was in, was over. I had a terrible cold. I think I wore my pajamas on the plane. I was sad and snotty. Not in a conceited way. I was not pretty. I just wanted to close my eyes and open them when it was the new year. I had a connecting flight . I trudged through the Phoenix airport oblivious to my surroundings. I somehow reached the next place where I was supposed to board my shuttle to Havasu. In my fog, I did not notice that I was getting on a puddle jumper. It was cold. Rainy. Scary. It felt like we were in a flying empty soup can. I white knuckled it all the way. It was a good shoulder shake. You know, like when someone gets ahold of you and looks you in the eyes and says, "Get over it". I thought I felt like I was going to die because of my heartbreak..but I really felt like I was going to die in the mini death trap of a plane. I got over myself pretty quickly. I even kind of perked up. "I'm alive!" "I'm alive!" Might not have been the words the 3 other people wanted to hear when we landed. Like George Bailey, I ran through the tiny Lake Havasu airport and greeted everyone. "Hi Mr. Handsome Pilot!" "Hi Mr. Foreign Cab Driver!" "Hi Cranky Granny!" Hugging children and giving my personal belongings to strangers. I arrived at my mom's house to the smell of turkey and dressing. I felt lucky. I felt loved. Then I slept for 15 hours.
I think Thanksgiving gets a little gypped these days. Too many forces of evil trying to make it just another day on the calendar to shop for junk. Don't shop on Thanksgiving. C'mon. You can wait one day. Go now and stock up on 1/2 & 1/2. Go get your beer. Go get the rolls. Now. I will wait.
Ok..got everything? Good. Let's continue.
I love the idea of sitting down and honoring family, friends & strangers. I like to believe the Pilgrim/Indian story of sharing a meal. I love that Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a National Holiday. "The year that is drawing toward it's close, had been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the Source from which they come." Wow. A holiday where we share time with each other and are grateful for the bounty.
It doesn't matter what you serve. Or eat. I remember one Thanksgiving where a friend of mine went to feed the wild turkeys instead of eating them. I personally would have caught one and roasted it..but that's me. They were sharing with other Californians, I mean other vegans..and felt a great sense of camaraderie and thanksgiving. I, on the other hand, need turkey, dressing, potatoes, a green vegie smothered in mushroom soup, cranberry sauce, rolls, butter, gravy, pie and champagne. But that's just me. Oh..and relatives. I am grateful for the variety of Thanksgivings I have had the good fortune to be a part of. Some were over-the-top opulent and some looked like Snoopy's Thanksgiving. All memories that enfold when the season approaches.
Today I am thankful for health, love, happiness. I am thankful for music, hearing, kindness. I am thankful for my husband, our son, our dog. I am thankful for our family. I am thankful for the friendships throughout the years. I am thankful for the people who protect us. I am thankful for those who have to work tomorrow. I am thankful for our friends and neighbors who choose to prepare meals for those less fortunate, instead of sitting down with their own families, tomorrow. I am thankful for the lessons learned. I am thankful for each day and pray that there are many more ahead. I am thankful for you. Thank you. Thank you for your beautiful self. I am most thankful to the Divine Designer of us all and the Gift of our every breath.
Happy Thanksgiving~ November 27, 2013 6:30 pm
I remember flying to Lake Havasu to visit my mom one Thanksgiving. I felt alone. I had just found out that the long term relationship I was in, was over. I had a terrible cold. I think I wore my pajamas on the plane. I was sad and snotty. Not in a conceited way. I was not pretty. I just wanted to close my eyes and open them when it was the new year. I had a connecting flight . I trudged through the Phoenix airport oblivious to my surroundings. I somehow reached the next place where I was supposed to board my shuttle to Havasu. In my fog, I did not notice that I was getting on a puddle jumper. It was cold. Rainy. Scary. It felt like we were in a flying empty soup can. I white knuckled it all the way. It was a good shoulder shake. You know, like when someone gets ahold of you and looks you in the eyes and says, "Get over it". I thought I felt like I was going to die because of my heartbreak..but I really felt like I was going to die in the mini death trap of a plane. I got over myself pretty quickly. I even kind of perked up. "I'm alive!" "I'm alive!" Might not have been the words the 3 other people wanted to hear when we landed. Like George Bailey, I ran through the tiny Lake Havasu airport and greeted everyone. "Hi Mr. Handsome Pilot!" "Hi Mr. Foreign Cab Driver!" "Hi Cranky Granny!" Hugging children and giving my personal belongings to strangers. I arrived at my mom's house to the smell of turkey and dressing. I felt lucky. I felt loved. Then I slept for 15 hours.
I think Thanksgiving gets a little gypped these days. Too many forces of evil trying to make it just another day on the calendar to shop for junk. Don't shop on Thanksgiving. C'mon. You can wait one day. Go now and stock up on 1/2 & 1/2. Go get your beer. Go get the rolls. Now. I will wait.
Ok..got everything? Good. Let's continue.
I love the idea of sitting down and honoring family, friends & strangers. I like to believe the Pilgrim/Indian story of sharing a meal. I love that Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a National Holiday. "The year that is drawing toward it's close, had been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the Source from which they come." Wow. A holiday where we share time with each other and are grateful for the bounty.
It doesn't matter what you serve. Or eat. I remember one Thanksgiving where a friend of mine went to feed the wild turkeys instead of eating them. I personally would have caught one and roasted it..but that's me. They were sharing with other Californians, I mean other vegans..and felt a great sense of camaraderie and thanksgiving. I, on the other hand, need turkey, dressing, potatoes, a green vegie smothered in mushroom soup, cranberry sauce, rolls, butter, gravy, pie and champagne. But that's just me. Oh..and relatives. I am grateful for the variety of Thanksgivings I have had the good fortune to be a part of. Some were over-the-top opulent and some looked like Snoopy's Thanksgiving. All memories that enfold when the season approaches.
Today I am thankful for health, love, happiness. I am thankful for music, hearing, kindness. I am thankful for my husband, our son, our dog. I am thankful for our family. I am thankful for the friendships throughout the years. I am thankful for the people who protect us. I am thankful for those who have to work tomorrow. I am thankful for our friends and neighbors who choose to prepare meals for those less fortunate, instead of sitting down with their own families, tomorrow. I am thankful for the lessons learned. I am thankful for each day and pray that there are many more ahead. I am thankful for you. Thank you. Thank you for your beautiful self. I am most thankful to the Divine Designer of us all and the Gift of our every breath.
Happy Thanksgiving~ November 27, 2013 6:30 pm
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