My Alaska family is small. It's just my husband, my daughter and me and an equal number of furry creatures in our household. Sometimes we eat with friends, but our celebration is usually a low-key affair.
Oh, I'd like to have two dozen people over and make a big fuss. But large or small, Thanksgiving is still my favorite. Of all our holidays, it invites you to reflect on what really matters. And it does so at the start of a season that can feel vapid in its naked consumerism.
I'm lucky. Or some people might say blessed. I have love, health, safety. Many people in our community are missing one or all of those things that make us feel anchored. Some of them are on the street tonight, lacking love. Some of them were displaced by a massive and cruel storm, and they are left without the safety of home. And others are coping with illness, and they miss their health. We can help by giving of ourselves to others. Being present for them, listening to them. Thanksgiving is a reminder to look deep within ourselves and meditate on what we overlook on a daily basis, when minor aggravations can get us down. Yes, it's about giving thanks for what we have. But it's also about pausing before the pressures of the Christmas season.
Yes, pause. Encircle your band of people, whether it be big or intimate or you're the extra at someone else's massive Thanksgiving spread. Feel the warmth. Share your best with others who might be in a pinch. Say thanks. And then remember to do that as much as you can every other day of the year.
