Thanksgiving Day is the day we all think about the idea that we have much to be thankful for. I do reflect on that notion. But my approach is appreciation. I appreciated my brother's asking on me, not so much the question.
It runs sort of like this. I am grateful not for the death of friends and loved ones I am grateful for having known and loved them in life. It is all a matter of perspective. So several years ago I started modifying my perspective to mold gratitude into a reality. I kind of dislike the presidential campaign season for its length and duplicity, but I am grateful for the entertainment value. Who can't laugh at Hillary adopting southern dialect down Dixie way and Brooklynesque in the NE. And hey a day doesn't go by where Donald doesn't draw a guffaw from me.
Each challenge became a source of gratitude. So it went for several years and there were ups and terrible downs, but on balance life seemed to have taken on a pleasant cast. There were experiences, activities, work and trips and memories . But there was also a mind set which allowed me to see that it was pretty darned good regardless of the challenge. Cultivation of this thought process makes for many pleasant memories and banishes darkness and allows a little light to get in. Things become fun and funny and there is a whimsy to our difficulties. I was finding that I did not need all the trappings to have a good life. Simple is better, it is fine as it is.
The other day, after working myself to exhaustion cleaning up the leaves and yard debris putting away the summer stuff in anticipation of winter I allowed myself the joy of the sunset. I am a sunset fan. I walked a short way down the street to the boat yard. I was sore, my joints and back ached badly, so much so that I had to sit down on an overturned boat to rest before the sun did actually set. Now how good are things if you find yourself telling yourself be grateful for the fact that you can still work to exhaustion, even though you can barely move.. As it turned out I was much too early and I got to sit and rest for quite some time. It was typical late fall, chilly and breezy, thank God for hooded sweatshirts.
I sat , and because I was much too early, my mind began its slow turn. The scene was one of melancholy, the light was going dim, the last of leaves were slowly giving up and gliding down from the trees on the cool breeze. I watched one after another touch down on the water. On landing in the lake each would drift by as if a small Viking funeral boats were moving to Valhalla.. I was a little saddened by my thoughts and by what I was seeing. I was seeing the end. End of day, season, year and life.
A flock of ducks flew by on their way to warmer climes, each taking his or her place in the formation so as to aid the group. The light lowered and shone luminously on the water. It was serene. The view was becoming a memory seered in consciousness. I was grateful for the beauty and the lesson. I sensed the passage of time and was just a little quieted by it. Life do go on, but before it do go to far make sure to reflect on all the good that comes your way. Take some time for enjoyment of self. The scene of beauty began to take hold and my spirit was lifted once again. Oh, the life is good if you can find the gratitude.
The other part of the lesson is that out of that natural beauty I am convinced more so that there is order and power in our universe and I am grateful to that God which made it so. I am also convinced that there should be a time to express to those who have been there that we should let them know how grateful we are for their love and friendship , and perhaps to share just a bit more of our own.
This year and this week and this Thanksgiving Day I would like to make sure I did not forget gratitude.
So for the family and friends and especially my wife I want to thank you for making one of the worst years of my life into the best year of my life. You will never know how grateful I truly am for you all as my voice can not express my heart.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING.