Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is today. In order to give thanks we have to first slow down and notice.
The Obstacle
The holiday is noisy, busy, full of tasks that pull attention from one urgency to the next. The table settings, the food, the people, the conversations — it’s easy to get swept into the urgent and pass by what is truly important. We rush, we prepare, we accommodate, and in the hurry to make everything perfect, we forget to be present. Some of us control the situation, others need it perfect, some worry about everything, and others please too much. We in all this we forget to notice. When different ideas and opinions enter the room — politics, parenting, tradition, religion, who should sit where, who said what last year — tension can rise. Conflict shows up quietly or with a bang. When conflict comes for us, we much decide if; You would you rather they know you’re right, or know that you care?
The Gift and Opportunity
Today invites us to slow or stop. To notice.
To actually see the people sitting across from us — their hair, their eyes, their tone, their emotion.
To hear the rhythm of forks clinking on dishes, children being children, voices layered like music, and the laughter that threads it all together.
To taste the food slowly instead of scarfing it down.
To feel the air outside when we step away for a breath — the temperature, the smells, the near and distance sounds.
When we see others fall into the same trap — the need to be right, to please, to control, to perfect, to… — we can notice. Because they are human too. They are doing their best. We are not alone in the struggle. That is something to notice and be thankful for.
The Practice of Self-Mastery
Today, give thanks by paying attention.
Notice what is right in front of you.
Notice who is right in front of you.
Slow down your chewing.
Feel your feet on the floor and hands on the table.
Let conversations exist without needing to steer or win them.
Listen to understand and not just waiting to talk.
Step outside and breathe.
Choose to be present in body and mind.
Remember that on this day, and all days, we cannot choose who or what happens to us, but we can choose how we respond. Give thanks for that!
Happy Thanksgiving.
