Happy Thanksgiving -- Give Thanks Happily

Happy Thanksgiving!

How many times have you said or have had others say those words to you during this season? What images come to mind when you think of Thanksgiving?

For me, I’m immediately transported to a time when our family met at my Grandparent’s home and we all feasted on the mega-meal my Grandmother had been cooking for three days: Turkey, ham, roast beef, greens, string beans, corn, peas, beans, potato salad, yams … . Well, I could go on and on. Suffice to say my Grandmother was born and raised in Tennessee. And our holiday table – expanded by three leaves – fairly creaked with the amount of food that it held. And the myriad desserts – which consisted of at least 5 different cakes (yellow cake with chocolate frosting, coconut, pineapple, chocolate-chocolate and caramel – oh God, I’m salivating at the memory!) and at least as many pies, filled yet another table. And the other kids and I looked forward to taking turns cranking the handle and pouring the rock salt onto the old ice cream maker so we could share in that delicious, special, homemade yumminess. The most expensive ice cream I’ve ever had falls short on the texture and richness of Mama’s ice cream. She cooked for an army and the variety of things on the menu were so vast, that we could eat dinner every day for a week and not have any of the same foods twice. Happy Thanksgiving? It was beyond “happy.” Thanksgiving dinner at Mama’s and Pappy’s was always a joy, a delight. Love was a staple ingredient in every dish Mama prepared. And laughter was an ever-present condiment.

What memories do you have? I pray you’re blessed to have memories like mine. If you have or not, I pray that you will get about the business of making new ones for yourself and others beginning this very moment.

This year, I’d like to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. And, more, I’d like to invite you to give thanks happily. I’m combining the “menu” with the Lifework for this holiday.

LIFEWORK/MENU
1. Memory Soufflé: Remember the uplifting, motivating, wonderful things that you have experienced, witnessed and/or helped create this year. What happened? Who was impacted and how? What difference – small to great – was/is the reality?

2. Grateful Beans: Itemize the magical things you’ve experienced. These are things that showed up in your life that you simply cannot fully explain. Yes. You may have expected something wonderful, but what you actually got far surpassed your dreams. It wasn’t good, it wasn’t great. It was supercalafragalisticexpialidocious! (Feel free to sing the song right now – go to youTube you have to, here’s the link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b-Z0SSyUcw. Notice what happens to your energy when you make that itemized list. And if you listen to or sing the song … well, just notice and realize you can get this no-cost “high” and energizer whenever you want, wherever you will. And that’s a springboard into higher heights of your life.

3. Thankful Tofu, Tuna or Turkey: Whatever your taste, preference and dietary needs, remember that it’s not only a Spoonful of Sugar that helps the medicine of life go down – or up. It’s being thankful. The activity of being thankful requires that you focus on what you have, what you’ve accomplished, what you enjoy, who you are, where you’ve been – all the positive things that you have or have experienced. It’s even the “positive” impact of “negative” things. Folks, I promise you, Increase time you dedicate to being deliberately thankful. And this is a fast-acting antidote when you’re suffering from the dis-ease of feeling down, depressed and a sense of lack. After about two things, you’ll stop crying. When you get to four, you’ll start to smile. Six brings a soft chuckle. And if you can stand it, by the time you get to eight you’ll find yourself laughing aloud. EACH is a step into “can” and out of “can’t.” Into “will” and out of “won’t.”

4. Caring Caramel: We are social creatures. We were created to be social. And waaaay before facebook, our social media was interacting with one another up close and personal. Think of the texture and ingredients in caramel. Know what they are? Two things: sugar and water. Think of sugar as the sweetness of caring and water as the carrier or transporter and expander. It’s the simple things that most often carry the most weight. Remember the last time you let someone know you cared about them. Remember the last time someone let you know they care about you. There are all sorts of ways you and they might have transported or sent that message – phone, mail, email, face to face, smoke signals, whatever! Get your arms around how that felt to give and receive caring. Then replicate it. What will you do to let someone know today that you care about and for them? What will you do to care for yourself?

5. Love Drops: Serve this with everything. It complements everything. There are no negative side effects. There is no limited amount. It doesn’t expire, there’s no shelf-life. It’s more effective than the most powerful yeast – doubling and tripling in size. You do have to knead it, however. And, we do all need it. Don’t even think about anything other than quality love – no substitutes or synthetics. Look for, expect, give and share authentic, organic L O V E, love. When you give and allow others to give a little, it multiples instantly, exponentially. Simply connect with someone and say, “I love you, because … .” Try it. And notice what begins to bubble up.

I’d like to say there were no calories in my Grandmother’s meal. Riiiiiiiiight. NOT! It was soaked with them. But you know what? I wasn’t a single pound overweight -- then. Maybe it’s because our family worked together to set the table, clean up afterwards, and play games inside and outside when we were finished. We exhausted ourselves with fun and love, caring and joy – all, like the food, in limitless supply. My Grandfather never helped cook the food. But you know what? He helped create the environment where it was all possible. He bought all the ingredients, set the standard for a happy, comfortable home and was a colossus of ethics, integrity and safety. And he showed us, through his gentle strength and quiet, observing presence, quick wit and slow laugh how to love and be loved.

What wonderful things are you serving at your table of life that people cannot get enough of? What do you and they need, what are they asking for – verbally and non-verbally? What are you currently doing and what will you start doing today, in this moment, that simply demonstrates and delivers love and caring and helps create a delicious fare of joy and delight?

Create your own menu and enjoy!

I love you!