Gratitude = beatitude = take what you need and leave the rest

I like Thanksgiving because there's no gift giving, just thanks giving. Hopefully. In this climate of holiday frenzy when emotions run wild as this wild turkey feather (above) and expectations and wishes for perfect family ties and directives for happily-ever-after can gobble up any sense of reality, it's good to take a moment to remember all that's still working. As I tell my yoga students, "Celebrate what you can do and be philosophical about what you can't do yet—remembering to keep hope alive with the word 'yet'." Take some time before you put that first mouthful inside you and take some deep breaths to say thanks. Gone are the days when I had 20+ folks around my table. Right now I can only fit two in my tiny kitchen so I'm heading up North to celebrate with friends. Every time I hosted Turkey Day, I encouraged us to go around the room to say what each of us was thankful for before hiding all that personal stuff with gravy. So if you're reading this, take a moment to make a gratitude list: I know it sounds corny....but wasn't corn at the first thanksgiving? Challenge yourself. Make a list of 50 things you're grateful for and don't overlook the simple things like matching socks or the fact that your car can still get you where you want to go or that you have a bed you could make this morning. Or for all those glorious Indian summer days we've been blessed with this November. Whatever you do, enjoy, and say the words to yourself that a very wise woman told me when I was feeling low, "I am enough. There is enough. I have enough!"