Blessings of Thanks

It is just a couple days before the Thanksgiving holiday. The leaves have long since disappeared from the trees, and the landscape if almost devoid of color. From the leafy greens of summer thru the color stricken displays of autmn, we now fast approach winter.

A few days ago I took a ride on my Harley through town. The senses seemed to be stiff and chilled, but the sensation of being on the bike in late November proved rather invigorating. The pace of life seems to be quickening in the anticipation of the holiday rush. From the rush of traffic thru the malls to the crowded streets, we all sense the season and are already beginning the arduous task of shopping for that perfect gift or stocking up on our favorite foods or even loading up on the endless displays of lights and other such decorations. It is a busy time, and not really one to be out on the motorcycle. It was getting late that evening, and a stop at the local Starbucks for some coffee helped warm my chills for the ride home. As I made my way through traffic, I was shown a wonderful display of orange strokes of cirrus clouds against the setting blue sky. As the sun set further and further, the orange changed to purples and greys. Unfortunately - my camera lay sitting comfortably on the piano at home, but the view even through the nightmarish traffic was a most divine scene, further endearing my belief in God's blessings for the coming holiday season.

A friend from high school issued a challenge to some of her friends and I thought it was most appropriate for this holiday. Name something every day to be thankful for. While for many that may seem a rather ardent task but for me I have been finding many things to feel blessed and thankful for. Since acquiring my Harley, I decided to quit drinking alcohol. My sobriety alone has been a deep blessing. I have learned to be a bit more appreciative of those around me, maybe a bit more patient, and even taking life at a bit of a slower pace. So often we busy ourselves with work, or mulling the daily grind that we let life slide right by us. That was the case for me. As I work two jobs myself, often times my time is very limited, so I must take full advantage of every minute. I won't embarass or divulge her name, but I believe she deserves a Thank You from me for making me take stock of all those things I AM thankfull for a blessed with.

In the next day or so my family and I will leave for my parents house in Michigan. For all of us this will be the first Thanskgiving holiday we have spent together in a very long time. I sense a divine intervention of sorts, in part that all of us will be finally able to sit at the table and be a family, foregoing our busy lives in favor of pause, reflection, thanks, and humility. I have hopes that our family can find the strength and courage to heal whatever was, and be family when family means the most in our lives. Today as I rode my Harley I began to realize I am not just thankful for the opportunity, but also the sense of endearment this time feels like for all of us.

I am thankful today for the wisdom that I have been blessed with in the hopes that our family can all become wiser and stronger this holiday season. I also give thanks for each of our troops, and pray the leaders of our nation find the way to bring them home. Lastly, I pray for whomever chooses to read this, in the hopes that they too, find peace and blessing this holiday season.