Body/Spirit: Thanksgiving thoughts and poem

Image by RunnerJenny via Flickr

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and I am feeling a strange mixture of sadness and hope. I enjoy seeing everyone in my family and I look forward to the great food. I also know having gratitude is important part of observing the holiday. I do feel grateful for a refreshed feeling in the mornings (when God gives a fresh start). I feel grateful for my home and my furnishings (heat and air, and all the creature comforts that I have become accustomed to). I feel grateful for my general health and the health of my children. I am grateful for my friends and all those people that care for me. I am grateful for delicious food prepared with love and kindness. I intend to think about all these things. I love the simplicity of the following poem and how it captures the beauty of this upcoming holiday:

 Thanksgiving-


For each new morning with its light,


For rest and shelter of the night,


For health and food,


For love and friends,


For everything Thy goodness sends.





--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)