Gathering the Family

Many families gather for a festive meal at Thanksgiving. Aunts and uncles and cousins come from near and far to celebrate this special day. We usually eat too much but who can resist turkey and gravy and cranberries and pumpkin pie?

All usually goes well until the subject of politics comes up. It is better to avoid the topic, but someone always seems to bemoan the party in charge or disagree vehemently on  some current issue. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief when a brave soul deftly changes the subject.

It is far better to focus on people  we are grateful for during this Thanksgiving season, especially those who we take for granted, like the newspaper carrier, the one who makes the morning coffee, the one who empties the trash, the one who takes care of the recycling. We often fail to thank the one who brings a fragile elderly aunt or an uncle who has dementia to enjoy the festivities, or perhaps we fail to notice the extra effort someone contributes to the gathering. We often forget the little kindnesses of others as we go about our busy lives.

Ralph Marston reminds us: "Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you."

So as we thank God for our many blessings this time of year let us remember the people who don't get noticed or thanked very often, especially family or community members.