Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving. I got married the day after Thanksgiving, and my rehearsal dinner was a big family-style Thanksgiving dinner. I love the fall, with the beautiful gold, orange, amber leaves, and the chill, crisp air. I know Halloween gets a lot of attention and Thanksgiving can sometimes get rushed through, as we approach Christmas. I have already seen Christmas decorations, and I wonder if Thanksgiving is getting left out.

We live in a fast paced world. We rush through each day, trying to complete our long list of tasks, and as each day passes, they tend to blend into one another. Some weeks, I am shocked to find it is already Thursday or Friday and the workweek is winding down. In those moments, I reflect on how time is precious and fleeting. I remind myself to slow down, to enjoy each moment as it comes, to stay present. Eckhart Tolle said, "Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have". It is so important that we slow down and realize this.

This brings me to Thanksgiving. Many of us get the day off, and we are encouraged to sit down with our families, near and far, and have a meal together. It's a simple act, but so needed in this fast paced world. In our family, we celebrate and pay our respects to Native Americans, whose kindness harmed them deeply. We also take the time to slow down and express gratitude. Something so simple, can be extremely filling. I encourage everyone to slow down, enjoy this dinner with your family, encourage everyone to share their gratitude, and be fully present in the moment. If this means not cooking everything from scratch so you can enjoy your family, then get some dishes from your favorite restaurant or store. Worry about the dishes later, focus on your family. Whatever stands in your way from fully connecting and being present, find a way to eliminate it. Go around the table and express your gratitude for each other and our lives. We know how fleeting joy can be, hold on to it. One year we created a gratitude board and we each added what we were grateful for and posted it on the board, that we displayed prominently over dinner.

So, I leave you with this, please do not rush through Thanksgiving on your way to Christmas. Enjoy them both. Enjoy the magic that the holidays bring, and lean into your gratitude. Carry it with you throughout the year. Here is what I am grateful for this year: 

I am grateful for being able to do what I love. To belong to a practice that I am proud of, full of supportive women who want me to win. To have an amazing, resilient Husband, and two handsome and rowdy boys. I am grateful for my family, who always has my back. I am grateful for my Mother, who taught me how to love unconditionally, fight fiercely, and be strong. I am grateful for our beautiful home and amazing neighbors. Honestly, I could go on and on, but you get the idea! 

Happy Thanksgiving!