I love Thanksgiving, but I’m not a big fan of going around
the table and announcing what you’re thankful for. It seems a bit contrived to
me, and I hate having the spotlight on me. No matter how grateful for things
and people I might be, when it’s my turn, my mind goes blank.
I tried for a while to make it into a group craft
project—everyone got a turkey feather and a pen, they wrote what they were
grateful for, we tried to guess who said what and afterwards, I put the
feathers on the turkey and had a holiday keepsake (thank you, Donna, for the
idea). But this year we didn’t do it and the holiday passed without any
gratefulness ritual.
However, now that Thanksgiving is past, I’d like to say what
I’m grateful for (in no particular order, other than the first, I swear!)—blogging
it is so much easier because no one is staring me down. J
- I’m grateful for my husband and kids—for driving me crazy in all the best ways and never failing to make me laugh.
- I’m grateful for a stainless-steel teapot I can’t melt (yet) and a Keurig the Princess thinks she bought for herself—both of these items keep me caffeinated, calm, warm and functioning.
- I’m grateful for family and friends (and friends who are like family)—for the support and love they provide, even when I don’t expect it.
- I’m grateful for beautiful sunsets—for giving me something to be grateful for when I’m convinced (temporarily) there’s nothing else.
- I’m grateful for my writer buddies and critique partners—for never letting me give up and for completely understanding why hearing voices in my head does not necessarily mean I’m insane.
- I’m grateful for moments of silence in the car and Monday mornings—for allowing me to rejuvenate temporarily so I can be personable and back “on” when needed.
- I’m grateful for Twitter—for keeping me entertained during the political ruckus.
- I’m grateful for the words of Maya Angelou, Cory Booker and Madeleine L’Engle—for always seeming to say the exact right thing at the right time.
Here’s hoping we remember to be grateful now and always, not
just around the Thanksgiving table.
I love the idea of the turkey feathers. Maybe next year. We've done the round the table thing and when it's my turn I always get a little overwhelmed with emotion. The truth is what I'm most grateful for is always the same--the people seated around the table. Every time I've said that at the Thanksgiving table, even though I express my love for them regularly, I pretty much get all goony and weepy. Blech.
ReplyDeleteIt's a really fun twist on the tradition, and then you have a memento to keep. Names on one side, gratitude on the other, and you can play a guessing game over who said what if you'd like. Keeps us grinches entertained, too. ;)
DeleteThat's a clever idea to turn it into a guessing game...I always have people sign the feathers so that there is never a doubt as to who said what. But I love your way. Maybe I will try it next year!
DeleteDonna, you can write their names down afterwards so you know for the future.
Delete