Thanksgiving

     My favorite time of the day is early morning. When I’m the first one up and the house is quiet. The stillness is peaceful and renewing. This morning I enjoyed the Oregon rain tapping on the roof. I couldn’t ask for a better start to my day. You probally have to be a native Oregonian to understand this one.

     Next Thursday is Thanksgiving Day, a time for family and eating rich food. A day to remember all the things we’re thankful for besides the food. Good health and family are always the first things which come to mind. However, there are days with too much stress or too many bills in the mail it's hard to give thanks. So I think of three things I’m thankful for. No, family and good health don’t count.

     Our days are full of small moments which make up the sum of the whole so I think of small or trivial things. Lip balm, the smile from a complete stranger or the conversation between a father and his young daugther.

     Lip balm doesn't need a lot of explaining. It's one of those cosmetic items I'm addicted to.

     My day job is a magazine merchandiser so I spend a lot of time in grocery stores. Customers are not always the happiest of people especially this time of year. I've worked at one store for some time now when I realized every Monday an older man came through my department and said 'hi'. One day he said the highlight of his day was seeing me. And I realize he too is the bright spot of my Monday's. We don't know each other but our short conversations and his smile makes my day happier.

     One day I over-heared a comical conversation between a father and his young daughter. Working in retail I hear a lot of conversations, many I wish I hadn't heard. The father and daughter's comical exchange makes me smile everytime I think of them. Their conversation will be in my May Day '13 novella.

     This Thanksgiving remember the small things as well as the obvious. Happy Thanksgiving.