It is now the end of another month and for those of you in the US who just celebrated Thanksgiving, it is also the end of another big holiday. This year, I was super grateful to have some contemplative down time especially in the midst of holiday madness. Thanksgiving tends to be my favorite holiday because it is not about the gifts, it is about spending time with those you care for. Christmas or gift giving holidays place such a heavy emphasis on what you "get" and in some cases that makes people focus on what they "don't have". Every holiday should be a celebration of what you do have. Anything additional that comes into your life as a result of that holiday is an added perk but should not be the focal point of the celebration. Don't get me wrong, I do love to give and get a great present but, I do not give it authority to determine the state of happiness. I plan on being happy with or without any gifts as the greatest gift that I possess is me, and that can not be bottled or boxed. It can not be contained or owned.
This Thanksgiving was kind of comical. We had a small fire in the stove. BTW, those yams are dangerous. Once you put aluminum foil on them they should be classified as a weapon. We had to do a lot of improvising as a result. My boyfriend ran out and found a dutch oven right as all the stores were closing and we ate about 4 hours behind schedule. In spite of us all getting hangry, we had each other and we knew it was only a matter of time before we could sit down and celebrate. This placed all the emphasis on the food and how grateful we were to salvage all of our hard work.
We had some new friends join us this year and one friend printed out all of these wonderful sayings and stapled them to lotto scratchy games. After she distributed them, each person went around the room and read theirs. It was a really nice thing to do. Ironically we all received ones that spoke to us on a very personal level. The below is the message that I was provided with, one that reminded me to be grateful for all moments in life, even the difficult ones as it all makes me who I am. It is nice to be grateful for the good in our lives. It is also very important to see and understand the lessons life provides us that aren't so good. I am not saying you should love or celebrate the "bad" but assess it and leverage it to further guide you on your journey. Ask yourself what it helps you uncover that maybe you were unable to see or understand before. Every experience provides a new perspective and a deeper understanding of who we are but it takes a willing soul to search for the truth in every scenario.
Wishing you a week where you are able to "see it all" and appreciate what life has to offer in every scenario. With love and gratitude, Kelly xo
