Giving Thanks (+ a Winner)

No. 18 – Come on DOWN. No it's not the Price is Right, just the winner of the drawing for Cloth Paper Scissors magazine – Jacquie in Vermont . Thanks to all of you who took the time to send me your thoughts and expert advice on blog and/or website. Bottom line is I will continue to have both and will proceed with the total overhaul of my website within the next few months.

These 2 beauties will be spending Thanksgiving with their other grandmothers this year, but that's OK. It means I get them for Christmas. Christmas in our new home.

I want to wish everyone a spirited and blessed Thanksgiving. I have so much to be thankful for today, Thanksgiving Day and every day. I am reminded of a  turning point in my life, one made by a simple action I took after reading Sarah Ban Breathnach's, Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy ~ "if you give thanks for five gifts every day, in two months you may not look at your life in the same way as you might now."  It's true…and I don't even think it took me 2 months. Before I went to bed each night, I wrote down 5 things I was thankful for. My everyday awareness of life changed immeasurably shortly after that.

That simple action echoes a family tradition we began several years ago. Once we are all gathered at the table we go around, each person saying what he/she is thankful for. We used to do it as a form of grace, before we served or ate, but after a couple of years of cold food (it's a BIG family), we decided to do it as we ate. Everyone takes it very seriously. There can be tears and profound statements. Or something can be said that may take on a new meaning later on, as did Sara's comment last Thanksgiving. She wrote to me today, "I remember how special last year was and I will never forget what I said in thanks.  I said ' I am thankful we are all here because we may never all be together again at Thanksgiving.'  I did not think at the time about what it actually meant, I was speaking more in terms of all of us being with the other sides of our families throughout the years, like I will be this year.  But it really was the last time we would all be together, and I will never forget the wonderful memory I have of that day with Grandma in such amazing spirits. "

This Thanksgiving I will give thanks for that memory. You see, you don't always know what the special moments will be, so please, stop and give thanks, for even the littlest thing, at every opportunity.

Thank you for visiting My Art Heart. Thank you for being a kindred spirit.

Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year;
to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.
Edward Sandford Martin