Happy Thanksgiving

Some people are troubled by Thanksgiving (in the U.S.) because it is a holiday and holidays can be stressful. Some people are troubled by Thanksgiving because, for them, it represents a kind of colonization where settlers came to this land and possessed it at the expense of the native inhabitants. But even if Thanksgiving presents some challenges for us, the idea of setting aside some time to be intentionally thankful for whatever is good or hopeful in our lives remains a good practice. I hope whatever else Thanksgiving Day is for you, it can be a time when you pause to acknowledge your blessings and to be renewed by the joy you find in being grateful.

Melody Beattie has wisely said, "Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

Have a blessed Thanksgiving Day!