When I was a kid, I never cared too much for Thanksgiving. I hate to admit it now, since I think it’s a wonderful thing to sit down on a designated day each year with friends, family and excellent food and take the time to acknowledge those things we are most grateful for. It is an excellent time to reflect, not on those things we want or wish we had, and not on what we could do better or must endeavor to improve. Christmas and New Years are waiting just beyond Black Friday to serve those particular emotional masters.
No, Thanksgiving is about looking your present day in the eye with a smile and saying thank you for the many wonderful things you already have.
This year I am thankful for many things, but I will limit my list to the following five.
1) I am thankful for my dreams. Yes, my muse is quite demanding and has me often running all over the place, wandering from children’s rhymes to horror and back, usually wearing a grin so wide I’ve considered traveling with a drool bucket. Yet having too many dreams, I am certain, is better than having too few or none at all. My dreams are fuel for my passion and my passion petrol for my future. I am grateful I can close my eyes and dream of all that will one day be any time I wish.
2) I am thankful for my family. Without my family as anchor, my most recent dreams would have never set sail. Cindy is my best friend, and though I know y’all are probably tired of reading about it, it’s true. She placed the pen in my hand and told me it was not only okay to dream, but that I deserved to stoke my desires. My children are so remarkable that I sometimes shudder when I ponder them too long; like dwelling on the scope of the universe or the concept of infinity. I’ve seen my sister more in the last few months than I have in the last couple of years and each moment has been wonderful. My mom comes over for dinner once a week, and though she annoys me without limits, I love her dearly and miss the days when we cannot connect. I don’t see my father nearly as often as I’d like, but he is often in my thoughts as well.
3) I am thankful for my health. Though I was 175 pounds of pure uncut pain and suffering a few weeks back, I am lucky to be as healthy as I am. I’m strong, with enough emotional and physical fitness to make what would have been a difficult year into just another hurdle to jump. In the past I have been guilty of wanting the perfect body, the type that gets a third look because the second wasn’t enough. Yet rarely have I been willing to embark on the difficult, sustained work required to make it happen. It took me until my early thirties to realize that fitness is far more than the definition in my abs. I’m now content with my daily sit-ups and push-ups, running up and down the stairs approximately 1,437 times per day, and keeping away from peanut M&M’s by the bucket. I’ve never felt healthier, even though I’m a tad soft around the tummy more often than I’m not.
4) I am thankful for an audience. Thanks to all of you, and to all the scattered readers across the Internet who read my words and help me to refine my purpose. I enjoy writing under most any circumstance, but it is a unique reward to write for an audience. For all who read my words and enjoy their rhythm, thank you. You make my world a better place and I truly appreciate it.
5) I am thankful for Cindy’s cooking. I think a large part of the reason I didn’t dig on Thanksgiving too much as a kid was simply that the menu did little for me. I know, I know I must be some kind of Un-American heathen helmet wearing buffoon to not like the Thanksgiving menu. It is possible I would like turkey a lot more if I wasn’t haunted by the memory of my mother buying a 97lb bird every year, even when it was just the four of us, because any turkey that weighed less than a kindergartner was “mostly carcass.” Cranberry sauce and yams = yucky. Mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie delicious. Everything else, okay. What’s my vice? Pasta, and lots of it. Every year Cindy makes three different kinds. See #3.
It would be nice if we stepped outside ourselves more often and acknowledged those things we are most grateful for with every meal, but the truth is that would mute much of the impact. I’m glad there is a designated time of year when we can pass appreciation around the table and nod our heads in gratitude.
This year, I am grateful for Thanksgiving.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
About Sean Platt
Hi Sean, this is a really wonderful article. We all have a great deal to be thankful for and we need to express it more often. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. :-)
.-= Stephen – Rat Race Trap´s last blog ..Are Your Thoughts Helpful? =-.
Thanks! Yes, even as hard as parts of this year have been and as uncertain as our future may sometimes be, we can always look gratitude in the eye and acknowledge all we should. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours as well, Stephen.
Hi Sean, this is a really wonderful article. We all have a great deal to be thankful for and we need to express it more often. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. :-)
.-= Stephen – Rat Race Trap´s last blog ..Are Your Thoughts Helpful? =-.
Thanks! Yes, even as hard as parts of this year have been and as uncertain as our future may sometimes be, we can always look gratitude in the eye and acknowledge all we should. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours as well, Stephen.
Hi Sean, happy thanksgiving to you too. I’m looking forward to our family meal today.
For the last thirty years Thanksgiving for me has been a frenzied juggle of getting my flower orders done and delivered and getting back home hopefully in time to get the bird in the oven. But hey, I am grateful for having a career that is creative, pleasing to my soul and by my own rules. I am grateful for a great family, even though we do drive each other nuts at times, but strong at the core…..sadly, many people have estranged families and I can’t even imagine! I am grateful that my kids too have grown up with an independent, creative spirit that allows them to be who they are (successfully, too!) And Hey, as for the meals of childhood….i demand kudos for my kick-ass cranberry-apple sauce ! (and yes, the mashed potatoes were always made from scratch with lots of cream and BUTTER) ! love ya, mom
Sigh… after two and a half decades you STILL don’t believe that I don’t like cranberry sauce! I’m sure it is delicious, but I wouldn’t know as it all tastes like sour yuck to me.
Yes, I am thankful that we are strong at the core as well. I look forward to seeing you, on time, this evening!
Happy Thanksgiving. Love you too.
Hi Sean, happy thanksgiving to you too. I’m looking forward to our family meal today.
For the last thirty years Thanksgiving for me has been a frenzied juggle of getting my flower orders done and delivered and getting back home hopefully in time to get the bird in the oven. But hey, I am grateful for having a career that is creative, pleasing to my soul and by my own rules. I am grateful for a great family, even though we do drive each other nuts at times, but strong at the core…..sadly, many people have estranged families and I can’t even imagine! I am grateful that my kids too have grown up with an independent, creative spirit that allows them to be who they are (successfully, too!) And Hey, as for the meals of childhood….i demand kudos for my kick-ass cranberry-apple sauce ! (and yes, the mashed potatoes were always made from scratch with lots of cream and BUTTER) ! love ya, mom
Sigh… after two and a half decades you STILL don’t believe that I don’t like cranberry sauce! I’m sure it is delicious, but I wouldn’t know as it all tastes like sour yuck to me.
Yes, I am thankful that we are strong at the core as well. I look forward to seeing you, on time, this evening!
Happy Thanksgiving. Love you too.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Cindy and the kids, too. We don’t celebrate it here, but I’m grateful for all of my friends in the States.
.-= janice´s last blog ..Up, Down and Grateful =-.
Thanks, Janice! Even though you don’t celebrate it, happy Thanksgiving to you.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Cindy and the kids, too. We don’t celebrate it here, but I’m grateful for all of my friends in the States.
.-= janice´s last blog ..Up, Down and Grateful =-.
Thanks, Janice! Even though you don’t celebrate it, happy Thanksgiving to you.
Word BFF. Yes Grammy, your cranberry shocks and rocks. Thank goodness for the diversity of creative spirit in our family and thank you for this beautiful southern California sky to share my favorite part besides family.
.-= Cindy´s last blog ..A Very Monkey Christmas =-.
Thanks for all the yummy food, babyluv. It was delicious!
Word BFF. Yes Grammy, your cranberry shocks and rocks. Thank goodness for the diversity of creative spirit in our family and thank you for this beautiful southern California sky to share my favorite part besides family.
.-= Cindy´s last blog ..A Very Monkey Christmas =-.
Thanks for all the yummy food, babyluv. It was delicious!
What a great list Sean. Me, I am thankful for restoration. My marriage, my family, my passions. I made it through some really tough times wondering if it was possible but you know, with God, all things are possible and he worked it all out for good. This past year I celebrated my 25th anniversary, a milestone that a couple of years ago I wondered if I would greet. Everyday life is better and more joyful. I am just so thankful to be here in this place and beyond where I was before. God is good!
Hi Laurie,
I’m glad everything in life is going well! You seem very happy. Great milestones and a bright future. YAY!!!
.-= Sean´s last blog ..How Much Should You Pay Your Ghostwriter? =-.
What a great list Sean. Me, I am thankful for restoration. My marriage, my family, my passions. I made it through some really tough times wondering if it was possible but you know, with God, all things are possible and he worked it all out for good. This past year I celebrated my 25th anniversary, a milestone that a couple of years ago I wondered if I would greet. Everyday life is better and more joyful. I am just so thankful to be here in this place and beyond where I was before. God is good!
Hi Laurie,
I’m glad everything in life is going well! You seem very happy. Great milestones and a bright future. YAY!!!
.-= Sean´s last blog ..How Much Should You Pay Your Ghostwriter? =-.
Growing up, my favorite part of Thanksgiving was watching King Kong, Son of Kong, Mighty Joe Young, and The Wizard of Oz.
I always wanted pizza over turkey, so you can imagine how happy that made my Mom.
In college, I stepped up my game and had turkey franks to celebrate.
Beautiful list of thanks, and I can definitely appreciate thanking for good health. Without health on your side, that’s a lot going for you.
.-= J.D. Meier´s last blog ..Lessons Learned from Oprah Winfrey =-.
I forgot about Thanksgiving TV! For me it was The Twilight Zone. I LOVED that show, and think I’ve seen most of them. I’ve never done a Thanksgiving with pizza, but I have done one with Chinese Food! It was delicious.
.-= Sean´s last blog ..How Much Should You Pay Your Ghostwriter? =-.
Growing up, my favorite part of Thanksgiving was watching King Kong, Son of Kong, Mighty Joe Young, and The Wizard of Oz.
I always wanted pizza over turkey, so you can imagine how happy that made my Mom.
In college, I stepped up my game and had turkey franks to celebrate.
Beautiful list of thanks, and I can definitely appreciate thanking for good health. Without health on your side, that’s a lot going for you.
.-= J.D. Meier´s last blog ..Lessons Learned from Oprah Winfrey =-.
I forgot about Thanksgiving TV! For me it was The Twilight Zone. I LOVED that show, and think I’ve seen most of them. I’ve never done a Thanksgiving with pizza, but I have done one with Chinese Food! It was delicious.
.-= Sean´s last blog ..How Much Should You Pay Your Ghostwriter? =-.
Sean,
What a touching post which clearly shows your admiration for the blessings in your life. As to the traditional Thanksgiving feast, our small (but growing) family hasn’t had a turkey served in years for one simple reason – none of us like it. As to the yams, sweet potatoes, cranbberries, etc. I couldn’t agree with your word more: yucky. We, too are pastaholics.
Happy Thanksgiving (a bit belated) to you and your loved ones.
Yeah, I’ve never dug too deep on the traditional spread. But I do love Penne Antonello, Tequila Chicken, Baked Ziti, Fettucini Tetrazini and any other difficult to announce well seasoned starch that makes me fat and happy with every bite.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
.-= Sean´s last blog ..How Much Should You Pay Your Ghostwriter? =-.
Sean,
What a touching post which clearly shows your admiration for the blessings in your life. As to the traditional Thanksgiving feast, our small (but growing) family hasn’t had a turkey served in years for one simple reason – none of us like it. As to the yams, sweet potatoes, cranbberries, etc. I couldn’t agree with your word more: yucky. We, too are pastaholics.
Happy Thanksgiving (a bit belated) to you and your loved ones.
Yeah, I’ve never dug too deep on the traditional spread. But I do love Penne Antonello, Tequila Chicken, Baked Ziti, Fettucini Tetrazini and any other difficult to announce well seasoned starch that makes me fat and happy with every bite.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
.-= Sean´s last blog ..How Much Should You Pay Your Ghostwriter? =-.
I am so showing this to my husband. He could use a little lesson im compliments! Not on my cooking though…I wish!
If you ever roll out that traveling drool bucket let me know. You could market it is pregnant women – we have a lot of drool. And then we have kids and they drool for years. It would be awesome!
Glad you had a great Thanksgiving!
I am so showing this to my husband. He could use a little lesson im compliments! Not on my cooking though…I wish!
If you ever roll out that traveling drool bucket let me know. You could market it is pregnant women – we have a lot of drool. And then we have kids and they drool for years. It would be awesome!
Glad you had a great Thanksgiving!
I just noticed the edit comments plugin. Man that would be tempting sometimes…but methinks my second thoughts are just not as juicy – or mis-spelled!
.-= Brittany at Mommy Words´s last blog ..The Belly is Comfy and Warm =-.
I just noticed the edit comments plugin. Man that would be tempting sometimes…but methinks my second thoughts are just not as juicy – or mis-spelled!
.-= Brittany at Mommy Words´s last blog ..The Belly is Comfy and Warm =-.