I Give Thanks

I love Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday, or close to it, because it involves two of my favorite things: food and community. Unlike the frenzy of Christmas with gifts to buy and deliver, parties to organize and attend, meals to plan and execute, Thanksgiving is much more straightforward. I have memories of eating so much turkey as an eight-year old girl that I had to lie down on our living room couch, my velvet jumper suddenly two sizes t00 small. I recall the house being filled with delicious smells, sweet and savory, rich and clinging, and I love recreating these memories for myself and my family. I want my children to appreciate a meal that is conceived and labored over; I want them to experience rituals and traditions; I want them to see their parents gather friends and family together; I want them to witness their mother holding her breath when she makes her annual toast. There is so much in life to be thankful for. My father always made a Thanksgiving toast that talked about the importance of good health. When he was stricken with Parkinson's at 54, the memories of these toasts stung with new meaning. What am I thankful for? The ability to watch my kids grow up; my husband who continues to fascinate me; my small but loving family too far away but always in my thoughts; my friends who make me laugh and think; the beautiful natural world around me that gives me hope for everything. Everything....I give thanks for the whole big mess of it all, and the ability to enjoy these full days with my health and the ones I love.