Thank You

Thanksgiving for everybody I grew up with never meant commemorating violent colonizers. “We were welcomed then we set about God’s task of extermination” is never a celebratory theme. School foisted the pilgrims on us, but at home that particular November Thursday was 100% respite from every bit of United States nonsense endured 24/7 every given day. Rather than a day of excess, all the prep time, food, gatherings, and the enfolding protection of windows steamed by the warmth of ovens, pots boiling, and the body heat of mamas, grandparents, daddies, uncles, aunts turning the whole house into the busiest day of rest always led to a sense of feeling rightfully enough. Even as a kid, it never seemed to me that the America I kept learning about bothered to stop to teach itself about “enough.”

I see that lack not only on a societal level but on a personal. The US says give thanks for people who are so much better and beautiful and smarter that know precisely what you need, and provide it day by day. Advertisers. Tech people. The celebrity who served up your entertainment. Talks shows and memes that deliver your opinions. Pundits to assure that knowledge is a supremely malleable thing.

“Make lists of what you’re grateful for,” they say.

So we do.

But we forget a major, important thing.

Ourselves.

Kind of feels against the laws of God and Human to feel grateful toward yourself, and, trust me, I don’t plan to take up much of your time, but I’d like you to realize there’s enough warmth coming off you to fog up a window yourself. I grew up calling holiday windows “cooking windows.” Be grateful you’re loved, but be equally grateful you’re the kind of person who puts in the type of work to be loved. Always see that you give when you get. You make people laugh, you give good hugs, you’re trusted with life, home, and hearth, you know enough to offer help when needed, to accept help on the flip side; you pay attention when somebody’s talking, which speaks highly of your emotional acumen (kudos).

My friends, be grateful you have grown yourself into a soul that adds to the health of the world. There are enough cancerous bits howling incessantly at walls. Yeah. A day of thanks is a great idea. It’s ok to turn some of that gratitude toward yourself. Being a person is a lot. Being decent? That’s whipped cream after a good meal.

Enough out of me, though. Peace, be well, and pie.