It’s so easy for me to loathe Thanksgiving. First, I’m not crazy about the food. I know. It’s weird. But I got really, really sick as a kid one Thanksgiving and have never felt the same about the food since then. Keeps the weight down, too.
Now there’s all this travel to visit family and that means hours and hours in traffic. I drove 65 miles tonight and it took me 2 hours. I’ve made that trip before in 50 minutes. I inched along I-35 at 5 miles an hour for 45 minutes. We made about 3 miles in that time frame. I could have walked the distance faster than that.
And that was just the first car trip of four that I’ll be making between now and Sunday. We’ve got family spread out all over the metroplex.
So it’s easy for me to dread Thanksgiving. But I’m trying to keep the true spirit of the holiday in mind. I know that most folks think Pilgrims and Indians but it was Abraham Lincoln who initiated the first national day of Thanksgiving during the thick of the Civil War. Of course, he suggested the day be one of fasting, which makes sense, because he was asking the people to pray for an end to the war and for the safety of the soldiers and the reuniting of a nation torn.
Emma asked me what I was thankful for the other night. I’d had a crazy, crazy day and was just ready for it to be over. The question stopped me cold. What was I thankful for?
1. Good health. I’ve had some serious hip problems recently that left me immobile for a couple of days. Now I’m moving again. Health is so important.
2. My family. God bless their remote souls and their expectations for me to drive to visit them. But at least they are all here for me to visit.
3. Purpose. I feel like I have purpose and meaning in my life. Something I look forward to doing daily.
4. Each day. I found out a person I’d known for several years but hadn’t seen for nearly five died this week suddenly and unexpectedly. He had a son the same age as mine. So much he will miss.
So I’m thankful for each day and will try to live in the now, enjoying this moment.
kelly mcmichael 