There is a song called “Alive” by POD – there are lyrics in the song that seem appropriate “every day is a new day, I’m thankful for every breath I take” – Overall not a band I particularly am – overly fond of, but this song is definitely in my top hits.

It seems appropriate on this, the day before “thanksgiving” where we all gather to share the things we are thankful for….

I tend to do a gathering the Saturday before Thanksgiving – because I much prefer to have thanksgiving as a day of individual contemplation – and also to allow my loved ones the comfortable ability to share multiple gatherings.

This year there are so many many things to be thankful for… so many amazing joys and blessings that have gotten caught up in the “other things”…. I mean its a tendency we all have,… for example when there is an ambulance or fire truck, we immediately think of the hurt, the pain, the burning… not the rescue, the safety, the hope.

Maybe its a way our society has become wired.

I remember when I was younger, having to go search for things at the library – having to find them in a book, or to find a person with the knowledge undisputed to provide me the answer to my questions. A task which wasn’t always easy, and wasn’t always unbiased, and wasn’t always correct. The process of doing this did teach me alot though.

I learned about discernment. I learned how to find my own way. I learned the importance of validating my data. I learned to be humble (okay there is an argument for the fact that I’m still learning this one. ) How to have patience – how to respect my elders, and why it was important. It taught me many of the important things in life.

Not just the what, the how, the where, but to find those answers, the value in the why of the information.

It also taught me the value of a great storyteller – and the importance of oral tradition – which will always be my favorite method of information sharing.

Now we have these electronic methods for finding information out or finger tips and we can find thousands of answers in the blink of an eye – some of them actually validated by scientific method, and so ready for our queries.

Somehow the convenience seems to have lost some of the value in the search. All the things I learned in the process aren’t being taught by this information availability. It seems to free up time… but I recall an adage from my youth that was clearly christian in origin “Idle hands are the devils playground” …. which I find somewhat amusing only because I know the value in sitting quietly in mindfully idle time….. and the devil is ignoring what you know your to be doing, particularly with something you know your not.

I am thankful for all my blessings this year, the ones I can put to words – new babies!! New family in general!! Health of those around me, family friends both far and near. Goal success of so many of those loved ones, including myself – set a plan and work the plan and good things will manifest.

I am thankful for a place here to share my thoughts, my expressions and my love.

Happy Thanksgiving and joy for the nearing close of 2020.