Leftover Stuffing and Gravy

Yesterday was a day of thanks.

Hopefully all of us were thankful for whatever we have, wherever we were, whatever we were doing. Lots of Happy Thanksgiving turkeys on my FB feed.

Many of us are off work the following day too. The madness of Black Friday, the sleepiness of day-after turkey and fixings, the peace and quiet after spending two days with  three wild and adorable grand kids.

So now what?

Do you feel any more thankful today than yesterday?

Find any more blessings under your pillow or at your doorway?

Hopefully the thank yous never stop.  For Thanksgiving is just another day in the cosmic wheel spinaroonie of life.

I am all for holidays. It’s the time of year to take a break from the every day grind and wasted hours and unfulfilled promises we all go through. Advertising assures us that we all have something to be thankful for, including three football games in one day and leftover turkey for the next week.

But I also believe that every morning you open your eyes, every morning you can snuggle in your covers for an extra five minutes is cause for thanksgiving. 

There always has been, always will be, someone who has it worse, and someone who has it better than you. It’s just how life is. The key to happiness is to not judge yourself by everyone else’s standards.

Of course, everyone has been saying that since Og found out his neighbor’s cave was bigger than his and included a hot spring in the back.

It’s easy to  say thank you when someone gives you a big gift for Christmas or takes you out to dinner at a really nice restaurant. But it’s just as easy to say thank you when a friend throws in a frozen pizza for dinner or offers to give you a ride to work because your car is in the shop.  

Giving thanks is not just a one-day affair. Giving thanks is a year-long project. 

Give thanks for the sun in the morning and moon at night. Give thanks you have the ability to read, draw, to form your hands around a potter’s wheel. That every day you get another chance to encourage someone else’s dream while you work on your own.

You can do it. Day after day. For in helping someone else, you help yourself.

And, if you are lucky, you can help yourself to yesterday’s stuffing and gravy as well!