By Amber Bass
The anticipation of the holidays grew as the pre-Thanksgiving snow fell and weather reports warned of possible large amounts of the white stuff being brought to our area.
As the blustery, almost cartoon like perfect snow fell and swirled in the wind, hearts swelled and our anticipation with it. How picturesque our cozy homes were with fires burning and warm, gazing out a window upon the scenic spectacle. Hunters prepped and daydreamed of ideal season’s reward and the stories they could tell. The kitchens hummed with preparation and smiles were a dime a dozen. It was going to be Thanksgiving. Most were disappointed at the amount of snow that failed to fall but what Clay County received was gift enough. This holiday season seemed to be more awaited than those past. Our mouths watered for turkey for more than a month prior to its arrival.
Though some partake of Christmas decorating earlier than Thanksgiving, those who wait can now exhale and drag out the totes of lights and décor, to their relief. A meal small or grand, home or away, we were thankful. Looking back on the year that has almost come to past we realize all we have, all we’ve been blessed with and what more is to come.
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
-Melody Beattie