Happy Thanksgiving to you! I hope you have been able to enjoy all the riches of the holiday with your family today. The cute little Pilgrims in the photo below were made by my son, Asher in school. Aren’t they cute? The folk art painted tobacco tin in the background was my grandmother’s and was hand painted by my great grandfather.
This hasn’t been a traditional Thanksgiving for me this year, but I’m making do. Things haven’t really felt normal for a long time now but I’m still grateful for the family and friends I have. I’m filled with gratitude. A friend of mine wrote the other day she felt that people had basically become uncaring and empty. What she wrote made me think.
I don’t feel that way, I don’t feel the mass is that way. What I do think has happened is… the world has gotten so small with being able to connect with one another all over the world, but sadly sometimes on a rather shallow level. We simply don’t have the time to delve deeper into knowing most people. We truly don’t know what is in another’s soul or thoughts. I think when we get to know a person on a deeper level, one that isn’t always convenient or even comfortable, we discover the many deeper layers of others.
I like to think that most people are good and mean well, however we are now in a society that merely scratches the surface of getting to know the true spirit of people we come into contact with day to day, whether that be in person or online. We have imposed so much on ourselves these days to do more more more, we sadly don’t have the time for ourselves much less someone new.
Autumn and the end of the year, especially Thanksgiving, is a good time to slow down and reflect on just how we do choose to spend our time. Indeed, much of our time has been already allotted to us with duties that must be attended to, family members that need our attention and care. There are many responsibilities we cannot change, nor would be want to, like parenting for example.
Perhaps there is someone who you have just scratched the surface with, someone who you might feel a spark of connection with that could lead to a rewarding friendship and someone whom you feel could greatly benefit from more attention on a deeper level of knowing someone cares. Isn’t that what we all actually want? Someone to “get us”, to feel like there is someone who understands us? Reach out to that person.
Okay on a lighter note… I mentioned I’m having a non-traditional Thanksgiving. That would be because I’m not cooking for my family today, they are out. I’m planning on getting a lot of painting done these next couple days. I have an art show at Christmas in New Harmony next weekend. Tomorrow, I might do some online shopping for Black Friday, but I have no plans to get out in that mess. What about you?
