It is Thanksgiving Day in America, which I realize is just another day in most parts of the world. It is also a day traditionally rooted in religious beliefs, which more or less leaves me just about as much a practical non-participant as it would many others.
Just the same, Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite American holiday. No exchanges of presents are required and except for an unusually high amount of frozen turkeys and cans of cranberry dressing in American supermarkets there is still no real overt commercialization of The Day.
For me, it is simply a day to stop and absorb for a moment the wonders in life that might (and all too often do) get taken for granted. The love and support of my family and friends. The gift of feeling like I am doing something with my life that matters, as messy and frustrating as that can be at times.
And even at the risk of being a tad schmaltzy, it is a day to stop and marvel at the awesomeness of life itself; the privilege of being a small bit of stardust that somehow evolved into something that could look at the infinite questions of existence and the universe with the capacity to wonder about what it means and to dream of possible answers.
And, oh yeah, to eat some really good food and take a leisurely afternoon nap.
I am indeed thankful for all of it. And I extend those thanks to you, wherever and whoever you are today, and my wishes that whatever matter of fate brought you to the pages of this website, that you too can take at least a moment to take stock of something to be grateful for in this crazy thing we call life.
