How can it be that we can be so very blessed every day of our lives; to have so much, and to never believe we have enough? When I think back to the Thanksgivings of my childhood, I remember a great excitement at the thought of the wonderful food we would eat; foods prepared with love by mothers, aunts and grandmothers. I remember anticipation at seeing my family, and even...yes...sitting at the kid's table; a table my grandmother fashioned with two sawhorses and a piece of wood.  

 

I remember so fondly the smiling faces around the table, the conversation, laughter, and falling asleep in the car on the way home. Typically even if I did not fall asleep, I would pretend I was asleep so my father would carry me to my room where I would drift off to dreamland. 

 

The next day continued our holiday, as there was no school. We would lounge around in our jammies, and go outside to play with friends. After supper, we would either go to Hartford and watch the lights being turned on at Constitution Plaza, or watch it on TV. It was GOOD! 

 

Our insatiable perceived need for more stuff at a lower price; is unhealthy. It has driven jobs to third world countries and usurped fields that fed our souls once produced food, to build storage units for all of the stuff we buy that we do not need, with money we do not have. The quality of our lives and our "stuff" have steadily declined. 

 

The currently held false beliefs are that such behavior is necessary for "the economy," or that our "stuff" is a measure of our worth. We all know you can't buy love, but on Thanksgiving Day many folks are focusing more on Black Friday Sales than giving thanks for their abundance, imagining that the "stuff" they buy to give to loved ones will result in love and appreciation.

 

 

Thanksgiving 1978 Adeline, Annemarie, Peter, Mimi

This year, I invite you to give yourself the gift of Thanksgiving. In Unity we teach that what we focus on multiplies! If we hold thoughts of "limited offer," "one time deal" and "you won't have this opportunity again," we will draw to us a life of lack and limitation in the midst of abundance. AND if we give thanks and praise for the good we have, THAT will multiply!

 

If you don't feel abundantly blessed, clean your house, go through the basement or attic; clean out your closet, drawers, and cabinets. You will find that you've got more than enough to give thanks for.

 

As you're cleaning, you can collect items to bring to Goodwill! First we give thanks for what we have received...then we GIVE of our abundance! Now that's Thanks Giving!

 

 

Thanksgiving 2008 Matthew

Again...thanks! RevAli