I am grateful my curiosity has not gone this far. And this is the day to give thanks… in America.
My first American Thanksgiving involved a vegan feast of epic proportions and the seitan induced bloat lasted the entire four day weekend. That was sixteen years ago and I still have an aversion to wheat masquerading as anything but bread or pastry. But I’m a fan of the holiday’s sentiment.
Ah Thanksgiving.
So many words have been typed all week in reference to this Holy Grail of American holidays. No wonder, just the one day out of three hundred and sixty-five (sixty-six this year) to share our gratitude. I suppose it’s par for the course since we have one day for love, one day to honor each parent, the Earth, secretaries and what have you. I guess Gratitude Lists are the convenient way to cram a year of thanks into the day.
Despite my love of lists, I haven’t made many Gratitude Lists. I did send a Top Ten list of thanks to my top ten American friends one Thanksgiving. I felt guilty about ranking my peeps and sent out another ten emails. I know that practicing gratitude is a good antidote to feelings of lack — focusing attention on what I have makes me less anxious about the things I crave, material and otherwise.
I have gone through periods where I’ve counted off five things I’m grateful for as I fall asleep. Repeating things on the list is unacceptable. I live in a first class city in the First World, I’m not part of the 1% but I’m surrounded by abundance. Obviously I’m grateful to have a home and food and clothes and my sight and my limbs and a disease free body and I don’t take any of it for granted.
Today I’m starting on ongoing list — because nothing is repeated, every day is a new addition to the list. And I’m not listing anything I know I’ve counted before.
Thankful for:
1. Ceasefire in Gaza
2. Knowing the difference between anti-freeze and windshield wiper fluid
3. Farenheit coffee shop. It’s around the corner from my hairstylist — good coffee helps pass the time during three hour keratin treatments
4. WiFi while enduring the above referenced treatment
5. Having otherwise low maintenance tresses between the quarterly salon visits
6. Not needing new tires for the winter
7. Regular dinners with my family
8. Dental floss
9. Great dental hygenists in both Toronto and LA. Because I see them more, I see the actual dentist less.
10. Not having to shave regularly now it’s cold.
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