Happy Thanksgiving!

I wasn't planning on writing today; things are so busy. But it so happens that I actually have some time. Thanksgiving isn't at my house and my husband made the cranberry salad we are taking, and so I am left with some wonderful time to write.

If you read my blog yesterday, you're aware of what I am thankful for as a writer. I think it's important that we celebrate Thanksgiving, not only to remember what we are thankful for as a writer but to reflect on the great opportunity it is to spend time with friends and loved ones.

There's a lot of negativity out there about the "pains" of getting together with loved ones especially at Thanksgiving. We may not get along with one or more of our relatives, we may find that we are at a loss for words in a large group that we see only once or twice a year, we may even feel as if we've somehow been made to feel invisible or unappreciated; whatever we feel, however, we need to remember that the end result really is about love.

We gather together not just because we have to, but because we want to. We want to know what Uncle Fred is doing in his life now, what Aunt Jane is doing in her new business; we want to see how big the children have gotten and what the varying families are doing for Christmas. We want to be a part of something memorable.

Thanksgiving connects us, and makes us better people because of what we have learned from those who love us best. What would we do without them?

Family portrait at my daughter's wedding in 2008
(You may see someone familiar in the upper left hand corner)

And so, this Thanksgiving, I give love and thanks to all those I love. Without my family I wouldn't be where I am today. Thank you!