Savoring and the Art of Thanksgiving

ThanksgivingWhen there’s a lot going on, it can be hard to take it all in.

That is sometimes how I feel when I sit down to Thanksgiving dinner. Our Thanksgiving meal (at the home of dear friends), is always preceded by a flurry of activity as a large group of us helps cook, nibbles appetizers, and carries dishes to the table. There is usually a stampede of kids getting settled at a second makeshift table, a friendly huddle of adults, and a lot of energy. The table and buffet is crowded with more different foods than I can actually fit on my plate (and that doesn’t include dessert), and before things have gone completely around the table once, the teenagers will already be back for seconds.

I love Thanksgiving. The holiday hasn’t succumbed to commercialism. The message is simple, the celebration is straightforward. I don’t feel any pressure to make it bigger or better or shinier each year. And unlike Christmas, the season doesn’t keep getting longer and longer. But–that busy Thanksgiving meal can also be viewed as a metaphor for the challenge I face in the rest of my life (and I am not alone).

When there’s a lot going on, it can be hard to take it all in.
Thanksgiving isn’t really about overeating. Thanksgiving is about savoring. It’s about taking time out to appreciate the bounty and pausing to be grateful. It’s an opportunity to really see and acknowledge people who are important to us, experiences and things and circumstances that we are grateful for. And in such a busy world, that’s a true gift.
But even on Thanksgiving, a day designated for pausing and acknowledging gratitude, the space to stop, and savor, and experience does not always come naturally. If I let myself, I can feel as rushed and unfocused when I’m celebrating, as I can during a work week.
It’s possible to eat that whole wonderful meal without fully experiencing–without pausing and savoring. If I don’t make space, I can easily finish too much turkey and stuffing while talking and laughing and never really taste it fully. And it’s possible to be so busy (in the midst of having fun), that I don’t take a deep breath and step back and fully experience the meal, the day, and the gratitude.

When there’s a lot going on, it can be hard to take it all in.
This Thursday, wherever you are and whoever you are with, whether you live in the U.S. and celebrate Thanksgiving or are somewhere else, I challenge you to join me.

On Thanksgiving Day, let’s:

  • Slow down.
  • Breathe deep
  • Stop and look each other in the eyes when we speak
  • And express gratitude–both out loud, and also by really savoring the food we put on our plates, absorbing the conversations, and experiencing the caring.
I’m very lucky. Although I live too far away to spend most Thanksgivings with my family, I am privileged to spend the holiday with people I love and care about. This year I’m going to make sure I really savor the day.
Care to join me?


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