Happy Thanksgiving

By Hennessy:

Permit to begin by wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. Perhaps I should say, a Meaningful Thanksgiving. You see, this is the one holiday we gather as family not to exchange toys, gifts, bad fruitcake, or watered down eggnog. This is the day we come together, as family, as friends, as one.

We are where we are because of many things; jobs, childhood homes, family nearby. You are where you are because that is hopefully the ideal place where you are in comfort, peace, and love. True, we only live in houses, but it is what is inside that makes it a home, and so very special. It is the people, the memories, and pictures of your life from a time gone by on the walls. Sometimes, it can be merely the smell of a good meal that rekindles a smile from your mind of when your mom or grandma cooked or baked. Memories; may they never dwindle or disappear.

Thanksgiving is a time of gathering as I have said. We travel this day more than any other to be with those we care so much for, love so dearly, and wish to spend this meaningful day with. Planes, trains and automobiles criss-cross the globe joining loved ones to celebrate a day of cherished times and laughter. We sit at a table, across from one another, and on this day, we talk. I find this humbling as out of the three hundred and sixty five days of they year, we get this day to talk. We speak of all that we have done and been through since we last sat together; the talk is of pride, our accomplishments, a new baby, or maybe grandpa saying he is just glad he woke up today. I find this most amazing that we can cram the previous year into one day of all that we are, of all that we have done. It is a shame we don’t get to do this everyday. I guess we don’t have Ozzie and Harriett for parents and the ‘50’s are just a memory gone by.

For those of you that don’t know a poet by the name of Samuel F. Pugh, I shall introduce him to you. He wrote a poem about our day long ago, I guess back when the words he penned were symbolism over substance. He spoke of having food, but remembering those that went hungry. Work, when others were jobless. A home, and acknowledging that even in his time, some went without. He went on to ask that he remember when he is pain free, that he knows others suffer. Complacency was to be ridden of; it was to be replaced with the understanding he is to help others. For those that cried out for help, give to them, and take nothing for granted. He closed with an Amen. Thank you Mr. Pugh, I too shall do my best in life to honor your wisdom and kindness.

Today, we are to be grateful, thankful and remember why God put us all here. When all of you gather at your tables, and the sights, sounds and smells of this day permeate your mind, give thanks we are not in Baghdad, we are not in an AIDS hospital in Africa, that we are not in a soup line during the Great Depression, and that September 11, 2001, God willing, shall never happen in our lifetime again. Rejoice in the fact that the lights are on, the heat is working and soon after that sumptuous meal, yes, we can all sit back, loosen our pants, and slip deep into that wonderful after turkey food coma. Just don’t forget to buckle when you get up.

As I went to the bakery to get our pecan pies, I passed a car with a license plate bearing the word GR8TFUL. I would be that too if I had the car that the plate was on. But, I have a Harley Davidson, and they don’t, enough said. Yet, that plate got me to thinking about the word "grateful", and just what I am grateful for. This past week here has been rather tumultuous with regards to Jennifer and the treatment she is receiving for her MS. I am not exactly grateful of what it does to her, robs her of and how it saddens me; however, it is helping her to maintain a quality of life she and I can be thankful for. This God forsaken disease has taken away so many things, but it has not worked its evilness and trickery on our souls. I do have to be a caregiver for the rest of my life, but I am grateful that Jennifer smiles at me and tells me I am the bestest caregiver anyone could ever have. It saddens me to hear that, it makes me weep openly and humbles me to no end, but I am grateful and thankful someone in my life lets me know I matter to him or her. And for that, I accept this as a pathway to peace. I cannot think of a better thing in life.

Wherever you are my friends, and whoever is at your home, I sincerely hope that you have a most magnificent day. My table is already set here, the vases of flowers adorn it and I sat and polished the silverware all afternoon. I shall cook and serve Jennifer our holiday meal and after we unfold our hands and our prayers have been said, we shall sit by the candlelight and well, talk. Our Thanksgiving is just ours, just us together. Being together this day, in love, side by side as the candles flicker on in time, is a joyous occasion I shall forever cherish in my heart. I wish this for all of you. May you enjoy your talks on this Thanksgiving day and God bless you all.

Humbled and Blessed

Written By Hennessy:

To think I rode my Harley just three days ago and now there is 3 inches of snow on the ground is rather hard to grasp. But, if you live where we do, you have come to expect this weather as a right of the calendar. Rarely, do we get out of this time of year without snow. Being a biker, I do not exactly welcome this, however, it is time for the seasons to change, and the snow to fly here. What it also indicates is that Thanksgiving is here upon us once again. I love this day, and for it to be snowing is just so much more enjoyable.

As I sit and watch the snow fall slowly from the sky and into our lives, I feel so humbled and blessed. I cant exactly put my finger on it why the snow just makes this particular day so captivating. Any other day it snows I really don’t care to enjoy it, but this day makes it just that much more special. It tells us to be home, for this holiday, together with family and be amongst the ones we care so dearly about. Perhaps knowing that we don’t have to leave the house for any reason is why I am enjoying the snow. It is telling me that there is nothing outside, that the snow is a barrier to hold me in my warm home with the one I so dearly love, my wife, Jennifer. No need to venture into this cold arctic, just stay inside and let the day work its magic into our souls. A day of thanks, a day of love, time to sit together and smile. If there is such a thing as a snow god, I thank him.

This day is not about gifts, malls, returns, or commercialism. It is the one-day of the year we assemble for visiting and family that has really only the purpose of gathering together for friendship. A day to reflect, a time to talk and a setting of peacefulness. The dinner table has been heralded as the pulpit of speeches. We gather and sit amongst our families to visit. No gifts, just talking. A lost art I think that has escaped so many of us. But why? Sure, we make some phone calls long distance, laugh and relive the year we have missed out on together. We wave at the neighbors, maybe even send an email. I don’t really understand why we don’t do this each and every day. What hold does this day have on us that we assemble and tell one another about our last years life’s worth. At least we have this day, we should not be greedy. This day is not for that; it is for cherished moments at the table.

So let it snow then. Let feet of it accumulate and hold us hostage with one another so that the clock does not tell us it is time to go. May the snow fall upon our roofs and blanket us with more time to spend together. Wrap us up in laughter; remind us we can stay for another hour or so before our departures. It is OK... we can shovel later.

My day will be spent in my kitchen. I will leave it to be with my best girl, and sit her down at our table and light the candles and just hold hands in the twinkling of the flickering light. I will hear in my distant memory the words and the laughter that once came from this table. Memories of my father carving the bird as he called it. My mum in her apron. My two brothers side by side across from me. I shall pause, recall, and smile. I wish they were here now with me to talk. Just for this day. I wish the snow would bring them to me. Come home, come back. Just for one day. Sit with Jennifer and I, say hi to Izzy our dog. Bask in the warmth that is our home. Sit, and please stay for just a while.
I can’t wait to cook. I have so looked forward to this day. My mum labored tirelessly to prepare this meal of thanks for our family. To me, it is a labor of love I cannot get enough of. The smells, the taste of the feast; memories. I look back at the Thanksgiving days we have spent together in our marriage. It is storybook and will forever adorn my mind. I am a homer, and this day is my day at home. I love my wife, and home with her is heaven on this earth of ours. So let it snow, keep me inside where I am shielded from the world and let me savor this day and pray to God my many thanks for letting me enjoy it and be here for it. Thanks, for giving us the snow. The heavens have blanketed us with comfort, I for one shall enjoy the quiet storm outside, for I know that in my home, there is just peace inside these four walls. May God bless us and let us be humbled.

I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends

I know I’m not perfect. No one is. A flawed gemstone isn’t even realized until it cracks in 2. I was close to cracking the last month or so. The flaws, worries and stressors are still being camouflaged to the best of my abilities. I find that deep breaths and wine help, but not as much as my friends.

There are times in my life that I should have taken a right turn but I chose to turn wrong instead. But as StoryPeople so rawly states, I am only strong enough for a life of partial virtue. And that my friends, is why I need a REWIND button. Well, of course WE ALL could use one of those but I find I am in need of one more often than I care to admit. (What the hell is up with that?)

I try not to judge and I ask others to do the same. Thank God for my friends who have had to put up with me a lot the last couple of weeks.

Don’t judge and you’ll never be wrong. Thanks for that.

Things are finally starting to look up a bit but I think some irrevocable damage was done. I was less than pleased with some of the answers I received this week but I’ll deal with it.

You can sew it up but you still see the tear (U2 – The Sweetest Thing).

I’d like to rewind a lot of things I’ve done in life but all we can do is learn from our mistakes, mishaps, and bad choices (no matter how good it felt at the time).

But what do you feed a hungry soul?

And leave it my friend Hennessy to remind me of two very important things:

1. The strongest of us were forged by the hottest fires of hell

2. Three can keep a secret if two are dead

Big thanks. Much love.
_______________________________________________

What do you see when you turn out the light?
I can't tell you, but I know it's mine.
Oh I get by with a little help from my friends
Mmm I get high with a little help from my friends
Oh I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends

Her Name is Misty

Written by Jules:

This morning, I went to Oberlin with my sister to visit a favorite store of mine, Bead Paradise, before we headed to Wellington to hit a wonderful little coffee shop for lunch. My sister was hoping to get ideas for Christmas at the bead store, which is an amazing place - there is so much there that one can become totally overwhelmed and decisions can be difficult at best. After our trip there, we went into a little flower shop so that my sister could look for a card. It was in this little store that I made an encounter that has stayed with me all day, and probably will forever.

I wasn't particularly interested in looking around the store, as my funds were limited and there was nothing I needed, but I soon noticed in the back of the store a small collie dog. The dog was sleeping and not paying much attention to us. Within a few feet of where I was standing, there was another collie. I was not sure if she was friendly. I called to her and after a few attempts, she rose from her position and came to me reluctantly. She let me pet her, but what I noticed right off was a distant, far away feeling from this beautiful dog. She was aloof, a bit afraid. I kept talking to her and she looked at me, but she did not react much. She reminded me of how my calico cat Ginger behaved when she first came to live with us.

Ginger had been a shelter cat, having lived in a cage for at least six months before finally ending up with Erieshores, who put her in a foster home where she lived during the week with a family and other homeless cats. On Saturdays, Ginger and other Erieshores cats went to Petsmart where the hope was someone would adopt her. On a Saturday in late January 2002, I was at Petsmart, and happened to see Ginger. It was 3 months after my calico cat Lily had passed. They looked so much alike. Ginger became a member of our family one week later.

The dog at the flower store, I learned from the lady who owned her, had lived in a kennel for 7 years - her entire life. She lived in a cage and was kept for breeding purposes. At some point, her vocal cords had been snipped to prevent her from barking. The beautiful collie's name was Misty. Her owner told me that Misty has had very little socialization. When they adopted her, she wanted only to go into a cage they kept in their house. They soon realized they couldn't let her stay at home during their work hours so they brought her to the store. They have had her for three months. Misty does not wag her tail. She does not seem to be able to react back to affection or attention. But after three months, her new owners feel she has made some progress. They were told it could take as long as a year to help her acclimate to a loving home and respond back. After sitting on the floor in this flower shop, petting Misty and talking quietly to her, my heart broke. I could have cried.

I do know, though, that on the one day a week my son has his guitar lesson, and my husband and I go for burritos at Agave Burrito Bar, we are also going to visit Misty in that flower shop to see how she is doing and to get to know her a little better. I want to see light in this beautiful dog's eyes and not the fear and emptiness I saw today. With the owners who have her now, I believe strongly that in time, just like my cat Ginger, that Misty will come around. She has a chance now. She has a chance to know a life with caring and loving people.

President-Elect Barack Obama's election night speech in which he told his daughters that they had earned a new puppy and that puppy would be going with them to the White House, has captured the attention of the media, but especially the attention of those who work with or are committed to animals in shelters. The family hopes to adopt a shelter dog. And I hope they do too. It will send a message out that it is absolutely THE RIGHT THING TO DO and perhaps can help other dogs like Misty and cats like Ginger get good homes with people who will love them.

"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring - it was peace." - Milan Kundera