Home : Blogs : Sharon Young : Living in the Philadelphia suburbs

Thanksgiving Thoughts....not what you think

Just yesterday I said "Happy Thanksgiving" to a woman, and she gave me such a look. It said that she wanted to cry and rip my head off at the same time. Something was mumbled and she turned away.

I felt bad for upsetting her. But all I said was "Happy Thanksgiving"!

It made me remember that for a lot of people, this is one of the toughest times of the year.

Spiritually, emotionally, financially.

So many people are broken, spiritually, emotionally and financially. Especially this year. Our economy is restricting most of us as never before.

But it's THE HOLIDAYS! It's time to be happy, be merry, spend money, work hard and make it all look easy! Eat tons of food and still be skinny! Decorate your home and be jolly! Smile and get along with Uncle Ed and Aunt Marge as they finish off that fifth and get louder and sloppier.

Don't get me wrong folks. Deep down, I am NOT bah-humbug. Really...I'm not. This is one of our toughest years ever. We are in a place that we don't want to be. But I have accepted our circumstances at this point in our lives and I am ready to move on! I'm smiling. I am. Honest.

Our children are grown and we don't really "do Christmas" anymore. Not like when they were kids. I was a Christmas machine back then! My home was always decorated within an inch of it's life! We knew how to do the holidays. But the older we get, the more laid back we are. And it feels right.

Our grown children and granddaughter will be over today for Thanksgiving! It's the first time in over three years that we all get to be together, because we were living in Florida.

I am very happy and excited about being with my girls! (Tofurkey for everyone! ) ;-)

So anyway, my point is that I do wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. And I do pray for everyone, especially the folks that feel the pressure and depression that can come this time of year.

I would say not to fall into what is *expected* of you. Instead, do what feels joyous and comforting. Give thanks to Lord for all the little things that still make this the greatest country in the world and Americans the most blessed!

Take time for yourself and give time to the Lord Jesus Christ this holiday!

Be blessed, Sharon

Posted by Sharon Young on 11/27/2008 10:17 AM

Comments (13)

Thanksgiving in the ActiveRain Channel

thanksgiving, holidays, christmas

Post is included in group: Addicted to Active Rain
Post is included in group: Almost Anything Goes
Post is included in group: Christianity and Real Estate
Post is included in group: LATE NIGHT - EARLY MORNING AT ACTIVERAIN
Post is included in group: The Lounge at Active Rain

13 Comments on Thanksgiving Thoughts....not what you think

NOV

2008

Thanks Sharon, it is a very tough time in America and not just for Realtors or our friends in the industry. I would be very afraid to be in the auto business for instance. I just heard they might discontinue Pontiac, Saab and Saturn due to their "plan" for congress. It will take extra effort for many to be Thankful this year but, as you said, well worth it to give thanks and blessings to all.

We are all so blessed. I want to get rid of credit card debt, I want my kids to clean their room, and I would like my grandma and Grandpa home for the hoildays. But Thanks Giving is not a wiah list. It is being grateful for what you have right now. If you look around you will always find someone with less and someone with more. Stop. Just take a deep breath and be thankful for what you have right here and right now. Happy Thanksgiving!-Dinah Lee

Sharon - First of all I like the photo on this post. Second, it is nice to realize that not everyone is happy so whatever little joy we can bring to their lives may make a difference to them. If a sad person smiles for even a few seconds, it is a gift.

Yes, we live in the greatest country and are so blessed to have so much. I am thankful for it every day!

Hi Sharon - I have been thinking about the holidays very differently this year. I am so lucky to have what I do. I am stretching myself thin for Christmas, as I usually do, but this year I'm doing it because I want to help others have a Christmas. I have adopted a single mother (18) and her 4-year-old to buy gifts and provide food for. Then I saw someone on freecycle asking for clothing for their children for Christmas and I am going to send them some gifts as well. Sometimes I wonder what I'm getting into because I don't have a huge amount of money myself, but it just seems like something I have to do.

Rhiannon, if you read this, don't worry, you're still going to have plenty of gifts. : )

Sharon, I washed my hands of Christmas years ago and taught my kids that it's not about gifts, it's about people. My kids would rather play a board game with me for a couple of hours than unwrap a pair of socks.

One December, instead of "Christmas" I took them on a cruise instead. I told them they'd have memories that would never go away. They still tell stories of the shenanigans they pulled on that trip.

It made us closer celebrating with each other instead of celebrating the material. My suggestion to anyone in a pinch this year is to give the gift of a complement to someone who doesn't know how much they're appreciated. Write a letter, mail it in the *real mail* That $.42 cents will have a million dollar pay off and you'll make someone feel really good.

I once heard a story of a father and his sons that were riding in a subway, and the sons were behaving terribly and annoying the other passengers on the train. The passengers all kept starring at the father with looks of disgust.

After a bit of time went by, the father leaned over to a passenger and said, "My boys and I just left the hospital. Their mom past away today."

That passenger was Stephen Covey, author. He wrote this story in one of his books.

The moral of the story is: We don't know the whole story about things that occur. Being non-judgmental about what we think is going on versus the real story is something we need to remember.

God bless.

This was our first thanksgiving with our new first grandchild.....he is 4 months old. His little smiles anf giggles today are embedded in my memory forever. This made me realize what these holidays are all about.

Sharon, I hope you had a wonderful time with your family. We had an early Thanksgiving this year as our kids were in town last week. You are right it just felt right!

NOV

2008

Sharon - don't feel bad, I quit celebrating Christmas with presents 20 years ago. I will hang with relatives, but buying presents (Not)!

I will purchase a few for my wife, but that's because she is my dream come true!

Hang in there kid, (nothing last forever)!

Sharon, there are a lot of people who feel their depression more intensely at this time of year. I know you are going through a difficult transition right now. It sounds like you have your head in a good place and will do just fine. God bless!

Hi Sharon - I think Marlene's comment makes a great point, we never do know what's behind the way someone reacts to something we think is good. They are walking down a different path, and it could be one that's very hurtful to them, for a variety of reasons.

This is my first hoilday season without my significant other - we were together 17 years, and he passed away 5 months ago. I can tell you every time someone wished me a 'Happy Thanksgiving', it was all I could do to keep my eyes from welling up each time. And I couldn't stop the tears some of the time. I truly hope I didn't react the way the lady in your post did, but I know I didn't react with joy and lots of smiles. And the most difficult holiday to get through is coming up.

So, I would just ask that people like the lady you wrote about be given the benefit of the doubt, as one never knows what is really going on with someone else to cause them to react as she did.

Ann

NOV

2008

Such a timely and perfect post. REALLY! We need to take time to enjoy life...regardless of what we have or don't have. The joy of the season has nothing to do with 'stuff'. Maybe this year...that message will sink in for many. I pray anyway. I love you, my precious sister. GBU~

DEC

2008

Hi Sharon....I do have a Flickr account but haven't done much with it yet. I'm having trouble keeping up with it all!

Leave a response…

Name:

Email:
(optional)

Comment:

What does the graphic say?