Thoughts other than about Turkey

Thanksgiving is quite possibly my favorite holiday. A secular feast day on the theme of giving thanks for all the good things we have.

Being thankful is an important quality in a person’s makeup. We’ve all known people who were ungrateful, who lacked the humility that a spirit of thankfulness gives one.

When I look back over my 67 years, I am struck by the abundance of good things in my life. There were bad things, too, to be sure. But the good things? Well, they were very, very good. And I’d rather dwell on them. I’d rather express my gratitude, my thankfulness, for having those good things in my life.

For that is the kind of person I want to be. One filled with gratitude for the gifts and good things that have been given to me.

When one looks at Nature, one does not see an entitlement mentality anywhere. Nature, while beautiful, is often uncaring and cruel. Nothing in Nature is entitled to anything. It must all be earned.

Therefore, if I get something — I’m thankful. Thankfulness enables me to appreciate what I have. Which leads to a life of contentment. And being contented is a good thing.

So on this coming Thanksgiving Day in 2019, I encourage you to take time to ponder and wonder at all of the good things that are in your life. No matter how few or small they may be.

Express your thanks for them and be grateful that you have or had those good things.

Life is what you make it, because the quality of our existence is in our minds. So make life good, and be a person of thankfulness and gratitude.

Comments are always welcome! And until next time — happy living!

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White Christmas

At least in Minneapolis we’re dreaming of a white Christmas. Unseasonably warm weather and rain have vaporized our snow. NOT that I’m unhappy about it. We had a couple weeks of snow and I’m ready now for spring.

The weather prognosticators tell us very cold weather is headed our way after Christmas. Night temps going below zero. With no snow, that will be hard on the plants.

At times, I wonder what the Advent and Christmas seasons would be like without snow. No chance of even having snow. I’ve visited family at Christmas time who live in no snow zones. The time away from the cold and snow was welcomed. But to live in a place where snow never fell, that’s a sleigh of a different color. Although those family members assure me they don’t miss having to shovel at all.

But with no snow, there would certainly be no frosty cold made moan in the bleak midwinter. Jack Frost wouldn’t be nippin’ at my nose and while the weather outside might be frightful, I wouldn’t be singing, “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.”

The Christmas culture is inextricably tied to snow. Santa may have come one winter in a whirlybird, but it was an experiment that apparently didn’t catch on. His sleigh continues to be the preferred mode of transportation. Although one look out my window and I’m thinking Santa might want to reconsider ditching the whirlybird. Or at least consider using an ATV.

Weather aside, and even religion aside (because the yuletide existed long before Christianity), this time of year is to be with and remember family. Whether actual family or those who are considered family. We humans are social creatures, even the most misanthropic of us. That’s the point of A Christmas Carol. Scrooge becomes “normal” again. Our ability to form large social networks has enabled us to thrive as a species. To the point where we’re endangering the survival of where we live. But that’s the subject of another post.

I wish you all a happy Christmas (in all its symbolic richness) and a peaceful and prosperous New Year. We all want to hope and dream and, with those we love, to see those hopes and dreams come to fruition. May it be so for you and yours.

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