Thankful

I'm just taking a few minutes in between the craziness of preparing a Thanksgiving feast to wish you all a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving.

Turkey is in the oven, the side dishes are started. I've made a few changes this year, more veggie side dishes and I'm not counting veggies covered in cheese or canned soup, none of that here and I'm not going to miss it at all.

Can you keep a secret? I complain every year about how much work it is to prepare the meal but I really love every minute of it. What I love most is that I have complete control over what is served and how its prepared. I wish I would have taken more interest in cooking years ago. I wish I would have insisted on preparing a few veggie side dishes. But enough of that. No time to focus on the past.

I think that this Thanksgiving more than ever, I'm so thankful for everything I have. In years past I would have spent the day stuffing myself and strategically planning my shopping spree on Black Friday. Times have changed. There will be no black Friday shopping this year. I was a little bit upset about it because being the queen of bargain shopping, Black Friday is my favorite holiday but I know I have so much to be thankful for, the rest is just stuff. I simply don't need a lot of stuff anymore and I feel good about it. Perhaps being able to let go of the material things is just one step in the process of learning to let go of the fat, learning to let go of the wall that surrounds me. Why did I cling so tightly to that stuff? Why do I cling so tightly to my over eating habits? Learning to start over and take the fresh start and rebuild my life and rebuild my health. Thankful seems like a very good theme and how fitting my awakening to thankfulness comes the week of Thanksgiving.

ps. Today would have been my Mom's 80th birthday. Happy Birthday Mom.