by Sarah Darling

Created on: July 10, 2008

Thanksgiving was always a wonderful time for us children growing up. We were taught at a young age to be grateful for all we had . We were also taught that not everyone was as fortunate as we were. We had a nice home, a father who had work and a mother who gave freely of her love and time. The thanksgiving table was always loaded with a variety of home cooking, turkey and all the trimmings. Family came over, as well as friends. The weather was never the same, as it was fall. It might be warm or turn cold and actually snow. But it never mattered, because we had a warm place to enjoy the Macy's parade and the fabulous treats. We watched as our cousins played football in the back yard and we had movies to keep us distracted, till dinner was served.

The church always had something special, if just the dinner that was served for the members and guests . The church almost always had something else special going on. They often had a dinner for those less fortunate, which I thought was great. I always wished it could be more often, not just the holidays, because they had a such good time. At the time, I thought we were lucky not to have that many homeless living in our small town.

The blessings could not be counted, for there were so many. The erubescent colors of fall, and the assurance that Christmas was just around the corner, heightened your breathing, until the glorious sight of the sugar maples took it away. The golden sumac and the silvery birch dotted our landscape, making everything a kaleidoscope of wondrous color .
The sky, a beautiful cerulean, promised a rare wonderful day.

We had prayers before we sat down to eat, and thanked God for another year of being together, and providing for our family. We never felt underprivileged, or lonely, because we had family and friends around us. Our blessings were of a day to day nature as we tried to be happy with what we had. I often remember those days and it makes me smile. The fires burning in the fireplace, and the leaves burning in the back yard, sent a smoky scent around the neighborhood. It's a smell I love today. We were so blessed , but I wonder if we took a lot for granted. We were never rich , but we had so much, compared to many. Just knowing you were loved and had family, was a blessing unto itself. This why the holidays still make me smile, and being with friends and family is still a time I cherish.

Blessings come in may forms, all we have to do is look. Every new day we are given and every new friend we make, is another blessing. Thanksgiving should not be the only time we remember others, nor should we forget to take time to give thanks for our many blessings. We have much to be thankful for every day we live. Be happy, smile, and enjoy what the fruits of your labor have garnished. Amen and pass the turkey.

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