But most everyone in the U.S. is celebrating Thanksgiving today! Here, it has turned rainy and chilly for the first time in what feels like weeks. There is no turkey in the oven and no pie to look forward to. But that doesn’t mean I can’t take some time out to think about how grateful I am for what I have.
For example, the picture above…this field seemingly turned purple overnight, so I went out the other day to admire the beauty and take many pictures, near and far since I didn’t know how long it would last. Of course I’m thankful for my family and friends who supported me in this leap I took into a new life. I’m grateful for the amazing people I’ve met along this journey and the kindness and encouragement they have provided to me.
I think most of all, I am grateful for doing the opposite for the first time in my life. Wonderful things keep coming my way by not planning anything. I feel that if I let life take me where it wants instead of me trying to blaze my own path, I will end up where I belong. So really, I’ve never felt more happy, fortunate or thankful in my life as I do today. I may not have many material belongings, but it just goes to show that life is what should make you happy, not ‘things’.
For those of you who may be sitting around later with nothing to do, check out this blog post about living in the NOW. We often overlook what’s happening to us at the moment and instead keep looking to the future for our happiness. I have learned to appreciate every single day and by not knowing what’s around the corner, it makes life a little more interesting.
So Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and here’s to being grateful every day of your life!
Hi, Steph,
I just read an article about the difficulties in preparing a Thanksgiving feast in China – no Crisco for the pie shell, plenty of vegetables, but most, likely contaminated with pesticides and fertilized with human waste, imported turkeys with an inflated price that would make them seem nearly unaffordable in the US (and you want to be sure that you get the frozen one and not the one that has spent 24 hours on the counter.) And once you get all of this home, the art of trying to squeeze it into a tiny fridge, and then in an even smaller oven or on a stove top with fuel that burns too hot, no matter what you do. All of this make my hours in the kitchen seem pretty simple.
But you are right. You don’t need a super caloric meal to be thankful for so many people and things that make your life meaningful…delightful.
So with great gratitude for your friendship and letting me see your experiences through your blog, I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Janet
Thank you so much. It’s hard to believe we’ve been friends for what, almost 40 years now!? It’s wonderful people like you, Jim, Carey and Jeremy that made my life that much better and am glad we still keep in touch (and always will)!!
Beautiful! I am grateful for our friendship. Every day I am learning something from you!
And I always learn something from you as well, my friend! If it weren’t for us meeting in Nicaragua that year, I may not have had the courage to be where I am today. So thank YOU for everything 😉
Oh, and I love that Wait But Why post you linked to!
Steph….you write so beautifully! I am thankful I get to read about your adventures and the little things like bugs and flowers that make you happy. I love that you get to hang out with the Man-tis! tee hee. Happy Holidays to you!