Is this coming Thursday about Thanksgiving or about giving thanks or is it about just giving? I’m not sure that the terms are synonymous. Is the focus on being grateful for all of our blessings? Do we appreciate our families and the support systems that friends and family offer? Or, is it about eating too much and forgetting the people out there who are alone?
Thanksgiving should be about love and appreciation. It should be about forgiveness and reaching out. It shouldn’t be about who said what and when and using peoples’ mistakes as an excuse to avoid repairing relationships before it’s too late. My prayer this Thanksgiving is that more people will be able to focus on their blessings and not what they are lacking in their lives.
I have been unpacking boxes that were long overdue. I came across so many “things” that used to be of importance to me. I don’t know if it is because of my 57th birthday or because of the realization that things are just that, things. As I opened one box, I found something that brought a big smile to my face. They were my Mom’s ramekins! For those of you who don’t know what ramekins are, I will share. First of all, the ones I found of my Mom’s don’t have any real value except sentimental value. In this case, the ramekins were flat shells in which she baked her famous Oysters Rockefeller. I remember when she got them. Her excitement was childlike because they were, “exactly” what she needed.
My memories of Thanksgiving were about giving thanks and giving. I hope I taught my children that lesson, just like I was taught. May God bless us and all of those that we love, whether sharing the same table or not. May He help us to feed the people who are hungry. I’m not just speaking about food for the body. I’m talking about food for the soul. May He reunite us with people who have been away for too long and may His blessings be noticed and appreciated!
Photo by Jeanne Knowles
