Many many years ago, I belonged to a Pagan homeschooling forum. We were sharing our various holiday traditions one day, and one of our members shared a story that I just love. She said there was company over for dinner, and somehow something came up that her oldest daughter was feeling extremely grateful about, and she said, “Oh! I’m going to do a Thankful Leaf!” and rushed from the table and down the hall. The guests all looked very puzzled.
“Thankful leaf? What the heck?”
Each year at the Autumnal Equinox, her family hung a fabric tree wall-hanging that the kids had made early in their homeschooling adventures, at the end of the hallway going to the bedrooms. Construction paper leaves were attached to the tree in some very clever way, because she was one of the most clever people I’ve ever been blessed to know. When someone thought of something they were thankful for, they would pull a leaf off the tree and write on it, and then place it in the big clear pocket at the bottom of the tree. By the time Thanksgiving rolled around, that tree was bare and the pocket overflowing — not only with leaves, but with other pieces of paper, too. They’d gather up all the leaves and read them during Thanksgiving dinner, adding joy, laughter and a warm feeling of being showered with blessings to the meal.
I love this idea so much, and I wish I’d have had the gumption to do it when my son was little. But . . . Woulda, coulda, shoulda. I’ll try to repost this blog around the Equinox for those who want to try it next year.
As we approach this typically American holiday, where we tell ourselves a fun story about how nice we all were to the ignorant and unchristian savages that us nice White people found here when we decided to steal this land, before we eat until we’re sick and shop until we’re in a coma the next day, we really do need to focus on being grateful for what we have.
Let your blessing basket overflow.
Be grateful for everything, even the challenging stuff. Even the stuff that keeps you awake at night. Even the stuff that didn’t go as you planned. Even the stuff that blew up in your face. All of that stuff allowed you to learn and to grow into a better person. And if it didn’t, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. You sit there in Thanksgiving jail and think about what you’ve done. (This is my stern voice, can you tell?)
Count every blessing. Flip all your suffering, all your struggles, every challenge, into opportunity for growth, development and learning. Make an investment in turning your adversity into opportunity. Get smarter. Do your own research. Seek out the best, most holistic information you can find on the issue. Become an expert and heal thyself. Bootstraps are there for a reason. Use ’em.
But do it with love.
Don’t force yourself into situations that are risky or don’t fit you because you think you have to be a superhero. You know what? Flipping adversity into opportunity and counting struggle among your blessings makes you a superhero. You know those people who life just shits on, who keep smiling and believing in the best? They are heroes, right? So smile, do your best, believe in the highest outcome and the greater good, and keep plowing forward. Every one of those folks believes in their heart that there are millions of people worse off than them. And they’re right.
Blessings, count ’em like The Count, who loves to count things.
Big huge bright shining flaming harmonious love, light and joy to you on Thanksgiving Day and every Holy Day this year.
I’d count it a blessing if you’d trust me with your time and subscribe. I’ll be a blessing back, promise.