On Thankfulness

"All our discontents about what we want appeared to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have."

It's difficult to find something new to say on this topic. So instead I'll tell this story...

Thanksgiving has been a 'portable' holiday for me for quite some years now. I've often been far from family at Thanksgiving, and unable to make it home for this holiday. Rather than forgo the celebration of Thanksgiving altogether, I've attempted to celebrate it with friends wherever I happen to be living. This has left me with a wonderful collection of memories.

It's a different celebration every year, depending on where I'm living and who is available. Occasionally I've been invited to spend Thanksgiving with a friend's family, but some of the best memories are those where a group of friends came together to create our own Thanksgiving. One year all the friends were travelling to be with family, so we held Practice Thanksgiving Dinner the weekend before Thanksgiving. Another year a different group of friends held Thanksgiving dinner at the apartment of a recently-divorced friend, and spent the latter part of Thanksgiving Day shopping for all new Christmas decorations for her. One of the best memories is from one of the first times I spent Thanksgiving away from family, and with my friend Jimmy. Neither of us had much experience making Thanksgiving dinner, but we went at it with much gusto, from shopping for the food to decorating the table, and had a wonderful time.

If it sounds like I'm missing the point about Thanksgiving, rest assured that thankfulness is multiplied when it is celebrated with others. Each of these events created stronger bonds of friendship for which I am still thankful, though over the years I've lost touch with some of these people. For a time we were important to each other, and we gave thanks and celebrated that together.

A few days ago I won a turkey, and though I already have plans for Thanksgiving Day, I couldn't help but try to use that turkey as an excuse to catalyze another group of friends to come together for a dinner. Not really enough notice to pull off a whole holiday dinner, but I had to try. So this year I think there will be a 'Meat and Greet' event wherein the cooking of the turkey and the distribution of the meat will be cause for a get-together.

And speaking of events, I'd better get moving! Happy Thanksgiving!