grateful goodies

Thanksgiving is one week away.  The meal planning is in full swing, the food has begun to be purchased. It is all about the food, isn't it?  I am not here to take that away from you OR to make you feel guilty about it.  It IS the feast, the football, but also....the family & friends.

I am lucky enough this year to be able to travel with my husband and children to visit my brother whom we don't get to see enough. Perhaps it is because I study nutrition, or because I have food allergies/sensitivities, or because I have prioritized the time with family, but food is taking the second seat here for us this year. Now, this doesn't mean we don't eat well. Focus on quality, not quantity. The glass of wine I enjoy the most, the piece of turkey that is the juiciest, my favorite stuffing (yes, even the gluten-intolerant can have it all).  And dessert....not sure yet what I will make, but I will enjoy every last morsel, and perhaps even a second helping if I desire.

But, of the entire day, the thing that feeds us the most is those relationships. Some can drain us. Some uplift us. Some, we don't get enough of.  My suggestion for the holiday would be this: 

be in the moment.

Sit and really listen to what people say.  There is a lesson to be learned, even with those that test our patience. Settle down and play a game with the kids. Help in the kitchen.  And yes, sit on the couch for a while and watch a football game. 

After the table has been cleared, if you have filled up on those around you, you just might find that your stomach doesn't ache, your head is not foggy, and your spirit is rejuvenated.