It may seem odd that in May, I'm posting about Thanksgiving, but in my heart, I'd like every day to be a day of giving thanksgiving. So perhaps this will remind me in May, to continue being grateful for all our blessings.
Our Thanksgiving in November was celebritory but wintery. A grey sky encouraged us to cultivate inner thinkings and activities. I'd signed up as a volunteer to help serve the Thanksgiving meal to the homeless at a nearby Gospel Mission in Medford. It was a nearly new facility and quite upscale and pleasant for the surroundings. I was chosen to help bus the tables and was kept pretty busy. I have to admit, there were so many volunteers, that when asked if I'd want to leave early, I did so. They gave me an invite to come back and volunteer again and I've kept it here. I've invented this fun way to cut paper things in half and have them placed so they bridge across the center of my journal page.
Next day was Thanksgiving and here on this journal entry, you've caught my "Amazing Chef in the House", Roland's hands stuffing the November turkey. We'd invited one special guest and she arrived with lovely turkey feathers to grace our home with and a smile with lively conversation. Because of the extreme rain conditions, she left early, while there was still light, incase she had to walk up her driveway. And we nestled by the fire gratefully . . .
Several days later we finally decided to take in the annual event offered out at Wildlife Images (a rescue and rehabilitation facility for wildlife) where they tour you thru the facilitiy. The diversity of the animals was fascinating. They had docents to tell us about the various birds, wolves, bears, cougars and otters.
I have to say the animal that touched my heart the most deeply was Clark, the Cougar. He's so elegantly beautiful, strong and majestic. His story of having not only his talons removed (by a vet at the request of his owner), but also having the front tendons cut so he could not climb ~ ~
just broke my heart. How could any veteranarian do that to any wild animal, maiming Clark for life. And now he resides here at the facility, for his remaining days. Most "cute" I have to award to the fox . . . her chubby tail and crafty face made me smile. Two more creatures that I wanted to remember are the one legged Barn Owl and the Grizzly, popping up out of her cozy den in the ground. It was a day stirring many feelings, but most prevalent was my gratitude for this place that allows these animals a chance to continue living . . . in somewhat natural conditions of wild open space.
I wanted to save the colorful business card from the sanctuary and so, punched a hole in one corner, then tieing it into another hole I punched into my journal page.
This completes this journal and I like to end with some kind of quote that epitomizes where I am in my life at the close of each journal. This one is the one I've chosen: "Jumping off the cliff with open hands" byWumen Huaikai.
Where are you in your life, what quote would you choose?
These last two pages of my 2012 journal happen to tie the year up with both Thanksgiving and Christmas. The holidays often are turbulent for my mind and heart ... my mind thinks I need be disappointed that I don't have that Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving Dinner and that I don't have oodles of family around for Christmas. But my heart knows those things are mostly an illusion painted by movies, television and marketing firms. I try to spread my spirit of "Christmas" and "caring" through out the year, rather than save it up for one month. I feel it's more realistic and certainly what my lifestyle accommodates more comfortably.
