As we approach yet another holiday season, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, even defeated. It’s hard to see a way to get everything cleaned, prepared, purchased, wrapped, cooked, basted, hung or made on time, especially in an economy like this one. Makes it pretty hard to get excited about the “fun” season of rushing around slated for December.
While it may once have been a fairly peaceful, slightly larger than average family meal, Thanksgiving seems to have become the starting line for a full month of hardcore holiday festivities. We start shopping within a few hours of the Thanksgiving feast. By the time the dishes are clean, the Christmas tree should be up. Once that’s done, we need to do some more shopping, bake cookies, reconnect with anyone we’ve ever been fond of, water the tree, send out cards – wait, it’s already January?
But, allegedly, that’s not what Thanksgiving is supposed to be about. In all the rush, we forget why we have these days set aside in the first place. The idea was never to use the day as a test to prove to your loved ones that you are perfect, based on your spotless, lump-free gravy made using only giblets from free-range turkeys raised on organic corn.
The idea was for everyone to sit down, look around, and be glad of what they saw. To take a moment to express thanks for all the things that make life worth living, and say, “Yes, this is my life, these are my loved ones, and it’s actually pretty nice, despite how hard times are.”
So this year, instead of focusing on creating the perfect holiday moment, just enjoy it. Let the pie burn a little to hear the end of an aging relative’s story. Trust that your loved ones will continue to love you, even if you haven’t vacuumed lately. And savor your dinner.
On a personal note, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the loyal readers of The Forum, who for over the last nearly thirty years has become an extended family to me. I am especially thankful because I am one of the lucky people who actually gets up happy to be going to work each and every day.
I am thankful for the people that come up to me on the street and say “wow, I read your article and I loved it.” Or, “I read your article and it made me laugh.” Or “I read your article and it made me cry.” Or “If I want to know what’s going on around here, I read The Forum.”
There are so many things to be thankful for in consideration of the privilege of having earned your trust and your loyalty over the greater part of my life. I hope that The Forum will continue to be part of your lives over the next thirty years.
And it is my greatest hope that you realize, no matter how difficult things appear for all of us right now, it is very easy to find a multitude of things to be thankful for. My suggestion is that you start with any of the following: the people you love, the food you eat, the air you breathe, the freedom you enjoy, the smiles of your children, the joy of your grandchildren and the wise words of elders— not only should we be thankful for those, we should openly cherish them.
While I am not able to invite all of you to Thanksgiving dinner, I hope I have given you some food for thought.
Happy Thanksgiving.
