“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” — RALPH WALDO EMERSON

Random thoughts on Thanksgiving this year as I spend it in Bend, Oregon, quietly, but quite happily . . . 

I went to the grocery store today (Wednesday), Thanksgiving Eve, not necessarily because I had to, although I did have a few items that still needed to be picked up, but it wasn’t an urgent purchase, and I just marveled at the energy, the excitement of visitors, family that was shopping together for the first time in months, maybe years, and felt grateful for being in a town that people come home to. 

I happened to stop at another grocery market Tuesday evening to pick up a few missing items for the next morning’s breakfast, not thinking about it being the supposed busiest Thanksgiving shopping day until someone mentioned to me after I shared where I was going. I will admit, I smiled a bit. 

I am an observer (I also just noticed, I enjoy shopping for food), and I enjoy watching how people engage, interact and mingle – locals with visitors, the different generations that are tasked with shopping in a store they have never been in before in their lives, and those of us simply going shopping for our everyday meal in our everyday day grocery market. 

To exemplify the last point: I was picking up my eggs out of the refrigerated section, a particular self-serve egg carton as you can buy as many eggs as you want (priced per egg), something I love to do, as sometimes I do not need a full dozen. An older gentleman was watching me pick my eggs out, and asked if I would recommend them. Never before have I talked about eggs in a grocery store, but where else might you do so? So I shared why I purchased them the way I do, smiled and appreciated his curiosity regardless of his choice. Turns out, eggs are a good conversation starter. I will tuck that one away for future use. 

I share this interaction, not for any other significance than, it was a small sign of the holiday season, people on leave from their everyday lives, exploring a new town, and for the first time after three and nearly a half years, I felt like more a local of Bend than I have ever felt. Bend is most definitely where I call home. I especially felt like a local when my neighbor passed me in the store and said exactly that, “Hey neighbor!”. I beamed. 

It is the small interactions, the seemingly simple and to the outsider insignificant moments that add up to create days and yes, holidays, to savor whether you are traveling away from home or staying home. 

In particular, I like Thanksgiving. It’s a simply luxurious kind of holiday as you have to wait twelve months to celebrate it with a large mass of people – directly or indirectly – and it asks us to be thoughtful and to examine our lives for the goodness. I guess it is the second part – the primary purpose of the holiday being to give thanks – that I especially appreciate.  To give thanks and to do so around a meal of good, seasonal food, . . . and pumpkin pie – yep, I love a good pumpkin pie, now that is a holiday to revere. Place a dollop of hand-whipped heavy cream on top of the pumpkin filling, pour me a cup of black tea, and I can settle in for the evening. All the while, contemplating the many reasons to be thankful. And this year, I am thankful to be spending my second Thanksgiving in four years in Bend. My home. 

Below I have rounded up some reading for you if you have some time today to sit down and relax and just want good thoughts and creative ideas to dance around in your mind as icing on the cake to an already good day. For everyone celebrating Thanksgiving here in the U.S. and abroad, I want to wish you many lovely memories to savor and delicious food too, and if you are one of the many TSLL readers from around the globe reading this on Thursday, may your day be sweet, festive in its own way and leading into a magnificent holiday season. Most importantly, I cannot conclude without expressing my deep gratitude for you, TSLL readers. I am humbled by your kindness, curiosity and courage on a daily basis. And I wish you a most wonderful start to the holiday season. Bonne journée!

~How to Tactfully Change Your Family’s Traditional Thanksgiving without Ruining It [The Washington Post]

~10 To-Dos Before Thanksgiving from The Splendid Table

~David Lebovitz’s Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Praline Sauce . . . I mean, how can I not share this . . . ummmm yummmmm!

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. — G.K. CHESTERTON

If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share. — W. CLEMENT STONE

The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.— WILLIAM BLAKE

“Gratitude is a constant attitude of thankfulness and appreciation for life as it unfolds. Living in the moment, we are open to the abundance around us and within us. We express appreciation freely. We contemplate the richness of our life. In life’s trials, we seek to understand, to accept, to learn. Gratitude is a continual celebration of life.”— AUTHOR UNKNOWN

~SIMILAR POSTS IN THE ARCHIVES YOU MIGHT ENJOY: 

~Why Not . . . Create a Memorable Thanksgiving?

~Why Not . . . Enjoy Thanksgiving?

~A Day of Thanksgiving

~Why Not . . . Be Grateful?