Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving can be one of the most special holidays of the year.  When I say "special," I know what that means to me but what does it mean to you?  If in fact Thanksgiving is a "special" time for you what makes it so?  Is it the food?  The communion and fellowship with family and friends?  The traditional football game that plays on tv or the nap afterwords?  Perhaps a combination of all of these things.

Notice that those things however are all just outward activities.  There are those thankless people who go to great strides in slaving in the kitchen in preparation of this feast that may feel that it is far from special.  They may feel that it is just a helluva lot of work!  To entertain and feed so many and then have to clean up afterwards.  For those surely the nap afterwards has to be the most special.  Or perhaps what's special to them is when someone unexpectedly lends a hand or shows their sincere appreciation.  That recognition for the efforts they have made to make this day special for others.

To me the "game" of Thanksgiving is not the turkey but the people.  Wherever you are this special day, winning the game of Thanksgiving is when you relate and connect with other people in realizing the blessing of sharing one of our most basic and common needs - food.  With all our busy lives it is special to take time to rest and find that connection with others.  You will find it in the quiet stillness between bites of that fabulous feast we call Thanksgiving.  Listen and look for it in someone's eyes across the table and then acknowledge it and them with a smile.  That's unity.  That's Thanksgiving.