Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Giving Thanks

We set aside a special day.   A Giving Thanks Day.  We, being USA, and I think, Canada too.  We set it aside to celebrate who we are.  Where we are, and who we have in our lives.  So, here is my Giving Thanks Letter. 

Dear Everyone who has ever touched our lives,

 Here it is 2011 and I'm 63 years old.  Jed just turned 72.  As I write it, I find it shocking that we are that age, but we are, and we have cumulative 135 years of knowing people and doing things which have brought us right here where we are.  And that's what it is, knowing people and doing things.  People from our childhood, people in our family, people we've worked with, people who we have passed by or noticed, people who have worshiped with us or fought with us, or divorced us, or made love with us.  Jed got a phone call this very day from a childhood friend who is dying of cancer.  The memories flowed and the chest welled up. 

I have flashes of people I've noticed and never spoken to:  the legless/armless woman who breathes into a tubed wheelchair to be a part of the world, the bedragled sheep herder in Idaho, the many weary  road sign holders who smiled and waved us on.

I wonder about people from long ago; the childhood friend, the college diva, my first principal, the professor and the typing teacher.  All these and the thousand others have molded me.  I honor them on this Giving Thanks Day.  My brothers, parents, assorted family...some quite lovely, some very interesting and some downright remarkable. Kids and grandkids fit here.  And then there's the friends.  The stick to you like glue friends that no matter how much time goes by we're familiar and warm.  We're forgiving and accepting.  We know the truth about one another and love in spite. 

On this Giving Thanks Day I honor them all.  It has been them who have made me me. I wrote a song for my daughter's wedding.  Some of the lyrics say, "If you've ever pondered the ways and the wonders of why we all do what we do, then surely you're touched by the mythical magic, this love has been blessed by you."  I'm into that...the ways and the wonders of why we all do what we do.  I've pretty much decided it's simple.  We  do what we do because of the people who have been in our lives.  Jed and I have been blessed by amazing people. 

So, on this Giving Thanks Day, I give the thanks to God for passing these people through my life, or me through theirs.  It's been a lovely ride.  One I hope continues for years and years. 

The stuff that we're doing now is made bearable by the reality of the people we know.  The standing practice, the pain, the pills, the walking effort, the practice, practice, practice to do basic things like brushing teeth and eating.  It's okay.  It's very easy to look at what we don't have.  And with us, it's arms and legs.  I've been a little teary lately because I so miss who we were, Jed and I.  But, who we are now is quite amazing.  It's amazing because we have amazing people tugging at us and pulling us through.  Some are therapists, some are neighbors and family, but most are friends.  We are very blessed.  Amen. 

No comments:

Post a Comment