Thanksgiving Week. When family and friends gather to give thanks, share a meal, enjoy each other's soul and heart essence. A wonderful communion or reunion. Fellowship of souls sharing, embracing, celebrating their unity and harmony. Taking a time-out from busy schedules to relax and remember what makes life matter: close relationships with people you love. Creating good memories. Smiling, laughing, just "being."
It can also be a stressful time. Expectations, family dynamics, dramas, politics. Today's society seems more concerned about what separates us - than what unites us. You can change that. Just for the day. Or for the week. Make this Thanksgiving about unity, family, gratitude and generosity. Be generous. Feel grateful. Appreciate your family &/or friends. Douse your energy with unity, peace, joy. Before showing up with your homemade pumpkin pie. Set an intention to enjoy everyone you meet and talk with. Share your smile and light-hearted nature. Share your Inner Light. From your heart. Not ego. Be gracious not grumpy.
Over the years, I often hear people say "Oh my God. It's the holidays. I can't stand my brother Bill (or sister-in-law Suzie). Another year of tolerating him/her." I understand what they mean. At the same time, I envy them in a way. Wish I had a brother Bill to "tolerate" every year. At least their Thanskgiving table is set for 8-12 people.
Our table was often set for 10-12 people. My parents, brother, sister, their spouses, brother's kids, me and a date. Then one day, it was just 3 of us: Mom, Dad and me. Three decades later, there's no family table. No family left. I enjoy the holidays with friends and their families.
I'm thankful for twenty years of good Holiday memories; pre-murders. Cling to those memories every holiday season - last 35 years.
Eventually. we all reach an age when most of our family is gone. Happened to me when I was 24 years old.
Growing up through my mid-20's, our holidays included an awkward Uncle, a hell-raising Uncle, a feisty Czech grandmother and a busy-body cousin who couldn't sit still - always in trouble. Us girls - cousins, sister, Aunts, Mom - in the kitchen baking, cooking, talking about our recent funny experiences - and sometimes bad experiences. We usually had 2 Thanksgivings. One with Mom's family. One with Dad's family. We all got along. We'd laugh when the hell-raising Uncle walked into the kitchen to....raise hell about something, crack a joke, put his finger in the dressing or grab beer from the fridge. He often winked at us kids while exiting to the BBQ smoker outside, sizzling sausages, ribs, brisket - where the other men in our family gathered around and drank beer, whiskey, told stories and laughed loudly. Loved my Uncle Martin. What a character.
Our family holiday dinners didn't include politics or religion. We were all there for fun, visits, and food. Both sides of the family. Whatever differences the adults or kids had - those differences placed on a shelf during holidays, birthdays, celebrations. An unspoken rule rarely disobeyed.
Family, generosity, gratitude. That's how I summarize my family Holidays and Thanksgivings. So incredibly grateful. Smile when the millions of sweet memories resurface this time of year.
Even if you don't get along with some family members, make this Thanksgiving your best one. Put aside differences. Concentrate on your heart-soul commonalities. Reminisce about old times or good memories you created together. Spread unity. Not division. Create some "house rules": Put aside differences. No talking politics or religion. Focus on positives. Not negatives. If someone's in a bad mood, they take walk outside until they feel better. Make it a game. Anyone spoiling this week's unity or harmony, puts $1 or $5 in a jar. Raffle off the jar after dessert.
Enjoy, play and have fun this Thanksgiving Week. Appreciate your family. Share your generous spirit. Spread your gratitude. Create wonderful memories. Life can change instantly. Tomorrow isn't promised. Seize today.
Namaste -
Your Sedona Spirit Psychic, Robin Amanda
