Thanksgiving is upon us!

 

Safe travels if you are traveling. Happy cooking if you are hosting a meal.  Enjoy family and friends if you have found a charming restaurant to have dinner at. (like our family)

 

Over the last month many of you have posted things you are thankful for on a daily basis.  You have touched many with your good thoughts.

 

For those of you that are alone this year, I hope you reach out and share your day with someone.  It's the one day a year I believe in being with others and sharing your friendship. 

 

THE FIRST THANKSGIVING

 

Our national holiday grew out of a feast held in the fall of 1621 by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians, also known as "eastern peoples", to celebrate their first successful harvest.  The Pilgrims would not have survived at Plymouth without the native people.  The Wampanoag taught them how to plant native crops and where to catch the best seafood.  So it was only fitting they join the Pilgrims feast.

 

There was no turkey, mashed potatoes or pumpkin pie at the first feast.  They dined on duck, venison, seafood, cabbage, onions, corn and squash.  The feast lasted for three days with ball games, dancing and marksmanship for the men. 

 

Thanksgiving became a federal holiday in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed, Thursday, November 26 to be Thanksgiving Day.

 

A FEW CURIOUS MYTHS

 

The settlers didn't wear silver buckles on their shoes.

And they didn't wear black clothing.  Their clothing was actually bright and cheerful.

The Native Americans didn't wear woven blankets on their shoulders and large feather headdresses, as often shown in paintings and pictures.

Also, the Englishmen didn't call themselves Pilgrims.

 

A FUN FACT ABOUT THANKSGIVING

 

The Pilgrims didn't use forks; they used spoons, knives and their fingers.  So parents let your little ones be a pilgrim and eat with their fingers for this one meal. 

 

 

 

I am thankful for everyone in my life and that my life has gone in the direction it needed to go.  With or without my help.

 

    "Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving"  by W.T. Purkiser

 

 

Thanksgiving information obtained from, Scholastic.com, Wikipedia & National Geographic

 

                                                                    

Energy

I've heard that every personal connection has meaning.

During our lifetime, we often encounter negative people.  There is probably a lot of ways to refer to these types, but I call them "energy vampires".  They suck all the positive energy out of you and around you.  You are left feeling drained and unable to think clearly.

Let me clarify my thoughts.  I'm not speaking of casual people you meet on the street or at a function and then never see again.  I'm referring to people who you spend a good amount of time with.  Maybe only once or twice a year, but during that time you are in the vampires' control, unless you find enough of your own energy to argue every point of conversation or try to defend your feelings or thoughts.  A good vampire uses up all your resources and reduces to you to complete silence, because you just. Can't. Find. One more ounce of energy to fight for your beliefs. 

The most frustrating thing about being caught with this vampire is that I don't think they know what they are doing to the people around them because they believe so strongly in what they are saying.  This negativity seems to come from a festered place deep in their soul that has been brewing for years and comes spilling out when they begin talking. 

You almost feel sorry for them.  But when you reach out, they push you away...perhaps not trusting your kindness.  I just don't know.

So after these encounters, I spend time and energy searching for the meaning in that personal contact I have just had with this person.  What I have come out of it with is this;
     
     Stop trying to help or change someone who you cannot change or help.
    
     Because I'm not an aggressive person, be myself and hope for the best.

     Save my energy for the positive things in life.

    "Let go of negative energy and embrace the positive"
                                                                        Judith Orloff, MD