Happy Thanksgiving!

6:30AM - Thanksgiving Morning
I'm awake. The turkey's not quite ready to come out of the brine and I don't want to cook right this moment, so I'm taking the temporary moment of solitude to give thanks:

Thanks for the things I have;
for the friends and family that surround me;
for the beautiful home my honey and I have worked so hard to have;
for the beautiful children with whom we share our lives;
for the food that is filling this house;
for the knowledge that others need food and basic things and the opportunity to give those things;
for visiting family and friends who have shlepped all the way out here for this holiday and otherwise;
for my health today and that of my loved ones;
for this ROCKIN' cup of coffee (had to put that in there...)
for you, my faithful readers, who put up with my blog

It's easy to live every day at the speed of light going on as we usually do. I am thankful for this moment of solitude before the race begins today to tell you all how much I love and appreciate you and how lucky I am for the people and things in my life. You have made me who I am, the good and the bad, the wacky and the serious, the woman, the mother, the wife, the daughter, the sister, the aunt, the friend, the philanthropist...

On this day and every day, let's take a moment or two or ten to remember that while we often gripe about our daily lives, there are people - in this city, this nation, this world - who have nothing. If we just think about them, that is the first step towards helping them. If we remember them, perhaps we will remember to try to help them over the course of the year. If we actually DO something to help, they will never forget your generosity.

Here are two links to two organizations to whom I will shortly be giving some of my time and money:

The Oregon Food Bank
The Jewish Federation of Portland

Helping people here and across the globe. I am SO thankful that we can give what little we may have to give and that we are not in need of those services today.

Please try to find an organization that can mean something to you and give the gift of your time, your efforts, or your money to help other people in need. Whatever motivates you...hunger, disease, education...let it motivate you to help those who are not as fortunate as perhaps we are.

Have a lovely, warm, delicious Thanksgiving. LOVE your loved ones.