A personal Thanksgiving tradition

I love turkey as much as the next person (ok, it’s all about the stuffing and gravy) but I’m not so fond of mob mentality sentiment.  I’m a little suspicious that what people say in public that they’re thankful for is a little different than what they might write in the sand of a deserted dessert island. I’ve been to enough painfully awkward holiday dinners to know that not every family is the stuff of pure gratitude.  I think there’s a little of that ‘if I say it with enough enthusiasm I might believe it’ so I prefer to keep my soul searching a little more private.

Two years ago I started a tradition of writing a Thanksgiving message and putting it in a bottle and into the ocean.  The contents remain private except to those that might find the bottle (and yes, one of them has been found.)  I don’t even keep a copy for myself so that it truly goes out with the tide. I’ve been sitting here thinking about whether I wanted to take this into a third year or give it up. It takes some effort to get to a beach and it seem a little silly doing this every year.

I’ve decided it’s worth continuing simply because the act of writing private thoughts with the idea that it might be read by a stranger requires a greater degree of care than just simply jotting a quick list in a diary.  There’s a ritual that feels important in choosing the glass bottle, wrapping the message carefully and sealing it with a cork. Too much effort to say that I’m grateful for my family or my health. Of course there’s a lot that I’m grateful for but maybe not so many that I feel strongly enough about to consign to the ocean.  I’m healthy, but I’ve always been healthy so it doesn’t seem remarkable enough to talk about. I’m sure I don’t feel as thankful about that as a cancer survivor would – we all perceive the world through our personal experiences. So each year I think about what I would feel most lost without.

What makes you glad to be alive? Is that different from what you might tell a reporter? I hope that all of you find some time today for quiet reflection and your own traditions that leave you feeling more connected with your spirit, rested, and moving through December with grace and joy:-)

Technorati Tags: intuition, letting yourself go