Is It Just Me? Reflecting on gratitude as seasons change

Published 4:25 pm Saturday, November 17, 2018

With Nov. 1 falling on a Thursday, Thanksgiving is celebrated the soonest it can be observed. What I didn’t notice was if the black Friday ads actually started before Labor Day this year or if they were already going by the 4th of July.

The sounds of the season at this time of year take a marked turn in many ways. One of the sounds I forget is when the weather cools off there is a significant difference in the noise level my heater seems to make versus my air conditioner. The air smells different, too. I noticed the other day, after some mornings in the high 20s, for every pair of reading glasses spread all over my domain there is a tube of Chap Stick

My home is well insulated, so on nights where is doesn’t even cool off inside adequately to kick the heater on, my home is more quiet than a library. My AC runs about 7 to 8 months of the year and it provides the majority of the ambient noise in my home.

Some people I know have 2 or 3 TVs on around the house to create a din of background noise. That’s never been a need of mine, however silence can be deafening at certain times. Particularly those nights when you’re counting sheep at 2:30 a.m. or debating whether some warm milk or melatonin is necessary.

I’ve never checked to see if an early Thanksgiving has an effect on retail sales, general holiday anxiety or any other meaningful trends.

One thing that rings true about our uniquely American Thanksgiving holiday is the opportunity to stop and take inventory of the many things for which we have to give thanks.

Unfortunately, it is sometimes easier to take inventory of the things distressing us. Complaining usually puts the individual making the complaint at the center of focus. Giving thanks and expressing gratitude usually acknowledges things others bring to us and can even call for a whisp of humility.

In spite of the constant gnashing of teeth about our political climate, we should be able to give thanks we still live in the greatest country in the world. Most of the circumstances we currently enjoy were brought about by people who are no longer living.

My hope is to reflect at some time this week on those who did the things that made my life better. It’s a good place to start when gratitude is the focus.

Happy Thanksgiving.