Thanksgiving and Thanks Giving

As I was driving to Bangor to have Thanksgiving Dinner (in the Yankee sense at noon) with my husband at Eastern Maine Medical Center, where he is a Staff Chaplain, I got to thinking about Thanksgiving and how we have come to think of it as a day when we are supposed to go over the river and through the woods to Grandma's house.   What about those who don't have a river to go over or woods to drive through or even a Grandma's house?  Or perhaps they are half way around the world.  What about them? 

 

Within my immediate family this thanksgiving the gathering places were quite spread out; from Hancock, Ellsworth, Waterville and Bangor, Maine to Richmond, Virginia; Denver, Colorado; Falls City, Washington; San Diego, California, to Misawa, Japan.

The further along I drove the more I thought about what the day meant to me.  It means taking the time to count the many things I am thankful for and the many ways I can be thankful.  By the time I parked in the parking garage at the hospital I had decided that I was going to wish everyone I saw a "Happy Thanksgiving" and I was going to tell them "thank you."

I wish you could have seen the looks I got just by saying "Thanks."

Try it sometime.  Thank someone, better yet, thank everyone just for being.  And most of all thank God.

A sacred gift and trust

I received a sacred gift and trust today.  The family of a dearly departed friend gifted me his guitar.  I consider the gift sacred because Brad truly lived in the music he played.  His soul was filled with music and it showed on his face when he played.  I had the opportunity to play with him on several occasions and it was a joy.  The trust - is that the family trusts me with the instrument that was such a part of Brad's being.  They trust me enough to take care of it and to make it sing.  His brother David told me I am to "put my own colors into the music."   In honor of Brad I will do my best to do just that.