Well, we have Thanksgiving 2020 under our belts. This year was indeed very different from years past. In years past, I would host Thanksgiving, and we would invite several friends and relatives. I always worked myself to exhaustion cooking, baking, and cleaning. I always made waaaaaay too much food, and more often than not, my nerves were frazzled by the time dinner was served. This year we had a much smaller group, our meal was less elaborate, we were conscious of the workload, and I believe we were more grateful than ever before.
In the morning, The Bibbed Wonder and The Bean went to GramBarbs for breakfast. I decided to stay home and take my big, red dog crush for a walk. He is a much better dog when he has had exercise. It also gives me some quiet time to enjoy nature and decompress a bit. As we walked and the Big B ran amuck sniffing and urinating on anything that was still, I began to talk out loud to whoever was listening, reciting all the blessings for which I am thankful. Friends and family who have trail cameras set up will probably think I am insane or close to it for having a one-sided conversation. However, I believe I connect better with the Greater Power when I am alone in nature. The things I am grateful for are long and plentiful.
Of course, The Bibbed Wonder and The Bean are at the top of the list. My life would be so empty and meaningless without them. I am grateful to be a mother and wife. For years, I believed I wouldn't be able to be either, and I view this opportunity as such a gift. Not only am I thankful for my marriage and child, but I'm also grateful for the happy, healthy relationships I have with my husband and daughter. Again, for so long, I believed I didn't deserve to be happy or could ever be truly happy, that I am thankful for this gift as well. My list went on to name the friends and family who love, support, and surround me. I have many gaps in my family relationships, but I have found that when I shut myself off to the negative, positive people come and fill that void. I am truly blessed for the good people in my life.
I am also appreciative of the creatures in our lives that enrich us with their loving personalities, the gift of sustainable living, and nourishment for our bodies and spirits. They provide us with food for our bodies and a way to provide for our family as well. We are indeed smiled upon to have this opportunity. Although it is hard work and a demanding lifestyle, we are more fulfilled and happier than ever. Of course, I went on to list the other things I am grateful for, such as health, well-being, the opportunity to live where we live, the food on our tables, a warm home filled with creature comforts. My list goes on and on.
I am grateful for the opportunity to make soap, to build a business, and to connect with so many wonderful people. I often wonder at the workings of the universe and the paths that our lives take. I never imagined a life such as this, but what a wonderful path it is. I am excited for every day, every season, every market. I love the interactions, and the people who come into my life as soap customers quickly become friends. I am grateful for those who make this life possible for me. Please know that you are never a number, a dollar sign, or a bottom line. You are appreciated for all you do. Trust me, you do more for me than I could ever do for you, and I thank you for that.
I also thanked God for the years I had with my dad. I was blessed to have had a lifetime of love, memories, and lessons with him. I pray that I am honoring his memory and living a life that would make him proud. I also pray he knows how proud I am of him, of who he was, and what he accomplished in his short life. I am proud to be his daughter, the one who looks like him and acts like him. I hope he knows how much he is respected, loved, and missed. I also hope he knows that my little girl feels connected to him even though they never met. She feels him around her, she knows his story, she remembers his accomplishments, and she loves him despite never meeting him. She, too, is proud of her grandfather, or Papa Ron, as she calls him.
It was a good walk for both myself and the Big B-Dog. We went on to have a wonderful meal at GramBarb's new home. We ate off of pretty paper plates. There was no fancy china with endless dishes to wash and put away. It was a relaxed pace that was needed and appreciated. Our meal was more simplistic but just as delicious none the less. We spent the day napping, watching Christmas movies, and enjoyed the gift of being together. We are indeed very blessed with much for which to be thankful.
I hope your day was filled with blessings, love, and gratitude. Although there are times we long for the past, we are blessed with our present and hopeful for our future. As always, dear reader, stay safe, be smart, count your blessings, and wash your hands,
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