Thanksgiving: Connectedness and Oneness

This blogger's favorite holiday, even when a theist, has always been, and still is, Thanksgiving.  It is free of the stressful excitement of Christmas and brings together family and friends in a more peaceful and reflective environment.

It provides an opportunity to appreciate what we have and give thanks for all those responsible for providing our food, shelter, health, recreation, education, employment, etc. (known and unknown; seen and unseen).  There is a feeling of connectedness and oneness with family, friends, neighbors, humanity in general and the cosmos in general.  Those of religious faith usually add a god to the list of those to thank.  This blogger fails to see how this adds to the significance of the holiday.  Also adding the term "spiritual" adds nothing to the appreciative feelings.

This blogger also has one special reason for looking at the few days immediately after Thanksgiving with appreciation.  Two days after Thanksgiving in 1971, this blogger married his sweetheart.  It has been a great almost-40 years.  Thanks, Tricia!!