Feast (noun): something that gives unusual or abundant enjoyment
- Though this wasn’t the first definition by Merriam Webster, IT WAS THE SECOND, so I’m running with it.
- With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I wanted to reconnect with what this holiday is really about.
Gratitude.
Bounty.
Family.
- However, this time of year can send people into a tizzy:
- Who is sitting where?
- Do we need three pounds of potatoes or four?
- What will I wear?
- Is cousin Lizzie still a vegan?
- Where’s the extra bed linens?…
- You get the point.
We get caught up in the details, wanting everything to go perfectly, setting unrealistic expectations (luckily, you’re not Ree Drummond, so you won’t have a camera crew recording the whole kit and caboodle), and all of this unnecessary pressure keeps us from acknowledging what we’re doing all of this for.
It’s a feast.
- But not just in reference to the delicious spread. It’s an experience that altogether provides an unusual and abundant enjoyment.
- Thanksgiving is a day where you can have your cake (pumpkin pie) and eat it, too.
- It’s a day you see just how full your cup is.
- It’s a day when our counted blessings are laid out in front of us:
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A Warm House
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Friends + Family
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A Table Filled With Food
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Clinking Glasses
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Retold Stories
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Football + Games
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Afternoon Naps
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Quiet Evenings
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Long Hugs
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And Finally, Leftovers
- What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?
- Has the bigger picture fallen to the wayside amidst the party planning and menu prep?
- I challenge you to find the space between the (possibly) stressful moments this week to write down a Gratitude List.
- Maybe you’ll realize “matching cutlery” and “turkey baster” isn’t on the list.
Maybe you’ll realize reservations and party logistics don’t mean as much as you thought. - And maybe you’ll realize what you’re most looking forward to is holding hands with Mimi, making Uncle Joe laugh until he snorts, and feeling the warmth and happiness only a true feast can leave you with.
the exhale 