THANK GOODNESS, THANK GOD AND THANK… all the rest of it

happy thanksgiving everyone!

Yes, we have arrived at yet another holiday. Unlike Veterans Day we don’t necessarily have individuals to give thanks for. https://sassaleeyours.com/a-salute-to-the-red-white-and-blue-but-mostly-to-all-of-you/(opens in a new tab)

Invariably around this time of year we start hearing a litany of expressions and expressed opinions about what everyone is thankful for. If you’re in the midst of a poignant Hallmark moment at dinner you may do a lap of round robin where everyone has to come up with something they are grateful for. Nothing like being put on the spot in front of any and all.

are you grateful or thankful?

Is there a difference? Does it really matter? If you Google it you get this explanation: Thankfulness is about the present interaction-Gratitude improves the long-term relationship

So I guess that I am thankful you feel a certain way and grateful if it lasts?

If we take you back to its origins then we refer to the Pilgrims and Native Americans. They definitely were thinking about the here and now. Together they celebrated survival and their first harvest. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_(United_States)#:~:text=The%20event%20that%20Americans%20commonly,of%20the%20Mayflower%20(Pilgrims).

This began the 1st documented Thanksgiving holiday.

creating a tradition

Maybe it’s about tradition. At a later time I think I would like to take a deeper dive into what creates a tradition but for today’s purposes lets call it habit. How do you recognize Thanksgiving? Or do you? Is it simply a paid holiday from work and an excuse to eat an obscene amount of food? Endless football (in the frontyard and/or on TV?)

Does your holiday include family? Prayers? I guess praying is always a good thing even if it seems to only occur on occasions. Rennie and I don’t really celebrate Thanksgiving. In the past I always worked the day of and/or the day after. These days we just veg out all day and babysit Arne’s dog.

I honestly don’t remember Thanksgiving as a child which is odd. Other than the giblet gravy with liver (yuk!), cutting up stale bread and freezing it for the dressing (months before) and of course the can of cranberry sauce. Oh wait! I guess that is a memory after all.

traditions are taught

Traditions can be taught but mostly I think they are a learned behavior. Once all of us kids got out of the house my dad really didn’t want company on Thanksgiving. He and my mom used the time to “winterize” the yard and just hang out. I find myself doing the same after all of these years. I mentioned that I worked most Thanksgivings. Part of that was necessity and part was by selection. I would agree to work all of Thanksgiving in exchange for having Christmas Day. (THAT’S my holiday!) Thanksgiving itself never really had that much meaning for me.

the way it was

Ofttimes Rennie and I will have the discussion about how lucky we are. Good kids, good life. We recognize how fortunate we are. In particular when you see so many who aren’t. We also have a talk about the what ifs and how we got here. I don’t feel guilty about where we are. We worked our arses off for it. There was sacrifice, sadness, strife. All of those things that kind of fade into the background in easier times.

Our kids were more fortunate. They entered the adult world with no debt, a college education and a firm grasp on the worlds’ tail. And don’t get me started on how the stirpes are doing. I don’t begrudge them any of that. Do I really want them to go through what we did? Maybe it would lend a little strength and preparation for the future? Who knows? I don’t wish some of our old days on anyone.

what am I grateful for?

If you ask me the question, I think I could come up with some answers. If I am talking about being thankful then for here and now I am thankful for my Rennie, Arne and Floyd. I am thankful for the wacky wineaux women as well as a few other present day people.

I am grateful for the ability to have something to be thankful for. A roof over my head, an ample amount of food that I don’t struggle to pay for and an abundant closet full of clothes that I hardly wear.

what are you waiting for?

Why do we always seem to wait until there is a holiday or an upset before we recognize that we are grateful? Thank goodness, thank God and well, lets be thankful for all the rest. I do think it is good that we have a chosen day to verbalize all that we are thankful for. Regardless of what that may look like at your house. That’s the goodness. The prayers, well so what if they only occur a couple of times a year-at least they exist. That’s thanking God. As far as all the rest I will leave that up to you.

Today and tomorrow I am grateful for and thankful for all of you my readers. Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope that you have plenty. Plenty of love, family and whatever makes you thankful in the moment and grateful in your life.

I am as always,

Sassaleeyours…