Grateful for breaks (Jennifer R. Hubbard)

In honor of NaNoWriMo, we’re blogging about what we’re trying to get done by the end of the month.

My date here at YAOTL is the 27th. And when I looked at the November calendar, I realized that’s the day before Thanksgiving (in the US), and very few people will probably read this. The day before Thanksgiving is one of the heaviest travel days of the year, and those who aren’t on the road will probably be preparing feasts, cleaning house, welcoming family.

For those of us who are here, I invite you to take a breath. A nice, slow, deep one.

Ahhhh!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love its emphasis on gratitude, and its simplicity. We just gather, make a special meal, and count our blessings. Some people even forgo the big meal in favor of serving others, as in a soup kitchen. There isn't as much pressure to decorate, to buy things, to dress up any particular way.

Before I married, I developed the habit of going for a long walk on Thanksgiving, making myself a nice meal, and relaxing. I lived far from family, but I knew I would see them just a few weeks later, at Christmastime. Thanksgiving was a day of peace and quiet and blissful solitude—and even now, I usually make time for a walk on that day.

For me, Thanksgiving is one day in the year for not rushing or scrambling. There are plenty of days on which we get things done. We need a few days to just be.

Comments

  1. Thanks for the reminder to slow down, Jenn! We're going to host a crowd tomorrow, but I will take your advice and find a moment (at least) to breathe.

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    1. There is always a moment. You can steal one when everyone thinks you're hunting for the good tablecloth or the corkscrew. ;-)

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  2. Amen to just being! And to holidays that don't involve buying things! Enjoy yours.

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  3. Thanks, Jenn. Perfect piece for me to read and reflect upon this fine morning. I've got a house full of guests and more on the way, I've got a turkey to put in the oven and ten side dishes to make, but this moment I am the only one awake and I am enjoying the silence.

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  4. Happy Thanksgiving, Jennifer! It's one of my fav holidays too. The turkey is in the oven and you've inspired me to take a walk.

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  5. LOVE your single-gal tradition. Happy Thanksgiving!

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  6. Happy Thanksgiving! A walk is a wonderful idea! Great way to clear one's head.

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    1. And the weather cooperated beautifully this year. :-)

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  7. Happy Thanksgiving! I meant to get a lot of work done on Thanksgiving, but I let myself take a break instead. But by the end of the day I must admit that I was itching to get back to work; I am and always will be a workaholic, after all.

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    1. I wonder if the break maybe helped whet the appetite for more work? Happy writing!

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