Thanksgiving Reads
Posted: November 25, 2021 Filed under: just because 31 Comments
Thanksgiving, by Doris Lee
Happy Thanksgiving!!
I hope you all have a very pleasant day with family and friends or alone if that’s what you prefer. I have spent many Thanksgiving Days by myself and have been grateful to be able to do so. I usually get really stressed out over “the holidays,” and I guess that’s beginning for me today. I’ve been stressing for a couple of hours about getting this post up, and I’ve finally decided to just post some links to interesting articles.
I’ll just say that I’m very grateful today for my sobriety. I got sober on May 10, 1982, and it turned my life around. After a few years, I decided I didn’t want to work as a secretary any longer and took a big risk by leaving my job at M.I.T. without any definite plans for the future.
I went into therapy and dealt with some difficult issues. In time, I was able to return to college and finish my undergraduate degree. I’ve never been happier than when I went back to school and immersed myself in the joys of learning. I loved it so much that I decided to apply to graduate school. I was accepted to a PhD program at Boston University and eventually got a doctoral degree in psychology.
Now I’m retired and struggling with some health issues, but basically I’m quite happy with my life. I still enjoy writing for this blog even though we aren’t as active as we once were. I still feel connected to the people I’ve interacted with here over the years. Writing these posts gives a bit of structure to my days.
I’m grateful to have a nice apartment in subsided senior housing and I’m so grateful that now I can spend so much time reading–something I’ve loved doing ever since I was a young child. I’m grateful to have some family nearby–my brother and sister-in-law and my two nephews. Those boys gave a purpose to my life and I will always be grateful that I was able to spend a lot of time with them and watch them develop into fine young men.
There’s much more that I’m grateful for in my life, and I trace it all back to that long ago day when had a true “spiritual awakening” (as they call it in A.A.) and I “just knew” that I would never drink again. At the time, no one who knew me believed it, but I was right.
Happy Thanksgiving, Sky Dancers! I love you all.
By Lilla Cabot Perry
Now for some interesting reads:
Arthur C. Brooks at The Atlantic: How to Be Thankful When You Don’t Feel Thankful.
Liza Featherstone at The New Republic: America, Rediscover Thanksgiving’s Radical Past. “Gratitude” has become a vapid buzzword, but being grateful can be a revolutionary act. Just look to Lincoln and FDR.
The New York Times: Three Men Are Found Guilty of Murdering Ahmaud Arbery.
Adam Serwer at The Atlantic: The System Only Worked Because It Was Pushed. The most surprising aspect of the trial of Ahmaud Arbery’s killers is not the verdict, but the fact that it happened at all.
Raw Story: Georgia prosecutor booked into jail for mishandling Ahmaud Arbery case.
Guest essay by Dante Stewart at The New York Times: I Was With Family. Suddenly, a White Man Appeared with a Gun.
The Washington Post: How the events unfolded at Waukesha parade.
CBS46: Man who drove though Christmas parade has arrest record in Georgia
The New York Times: Trump Investigation Enters Crucial Phase as Prosecutor’s Term Nears End.
Dan Vergano at Buzzfeed News: Murder Is A Leading Cause Of Death In Pregnancy In The US. [Warning: Vergano refers to “pregnant people” in the first paragraph]
Axios: Scoop: Centrist Dems sink Biden’s nominee for top bank regulator.
The Washington Post: Rep. Greene introduces bill to award Congress’s highest honor to Kyle Rittenhouse, who fatally shot two men.
Rolling Stone: ‘Bitter,’ ‘Angry,’ ‘Enraged’: Reality Winner Blasts the Intercept After 4 Years in Jail.
I wish the news were more cheerful, but that’s the world we’re living in. I’m still choosing to have an attitude of gratitude today.
peej
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bostonboomer
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JJ Lopez aka Minkoff Minx
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Sky Dancing 
Have a wonderful day everyone!!
You too!!!
You too, BB. I think Thanksgivings spent with oneself are peaceful! You get to have what you want for dinner and read a good book during and afterwards 🙂
Yes. This time I went to my brother’s place and had a great time. We played games, had a simple vegetarian meal and then watched The Blues Brothers. It was a lot of fun.
My mother made several things I also make to this day. She and millions of other women relied on Betty Crocker’s Good and Easy cookbook (the small one) from the 1960s. I also have the peanut butter cookie recipe she made and it is the best – from Favorite Recipes of America – Desserts @1968. Those cookbooks with county fair winners recipes are awesome, also the officer’s wives club and Panhellenic cookbooks.
Hope everyone has a happy day!
I have my grandmother’s persimmon pudding recipe that I make every Thanksgiving. I use her various cookie and fudge recipes at Christmas time.
I remember making and then pulling taffy with her when I was little. It was fun. We laughed a lot. Does anyone make taffy anymore?
Do you have a recipe for taffy? Or for persimmon pudding? That sounds delicious.
Thank you for sharing your story with us, BB. You are a remarkable woman.
I hope you have a peaceful day.
This.
Thank you Beata. I hope your day was peaceful.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2021/11/04/thanksgiving-anniversary-wampanoag-indians-pilgrims/
The Wampanoag are having a day of mourning, 400 year old regrets.
I’m going to enjoy what I can today and be mindful of gratitude,especially that this year is so much better than the last.
Am not at all surprised that the Wampanoag aren’t happy with getting their land, customs and language stolen or suppressed by the descendants of the people they helped 400 yrs ago.
Trying to find a video of the old Redbone song — “Custer had it Coming” but can’t.
A good life, bb! Like mine, it puts me in mind of Joni Mitchell’s words “Songs to aging children. (I am one.)” (I think that’s Mitchell’s?)
You, and everyone here, have a good time!
That’s it. (Memory not going yet, I guess 😆 )
Ann, I love you…
I love you JJ
Happy thanksgiving you Jive Turkeys!
I have always loved that song! Been years since I heard it.
Happy Thanksgiving to you dear Ann, and to all the Skydancers. I haven’t had a drink since my seriously ill husband came home from the hospital. Please send a good thought that I’ll be able to keep that up. You are my inspiration,
Good thoughts to you, Sue!
Hi, Sue. I am glad that you are relatively all right. I was worried about you. Encouraging wishes.
And the very best to Boston Boomer, Dakiniikat, and everyone here. Your dedication and humanity are inspiring.
William
You can do it Sweet Sue. Just take it one day at a time.
Amen to that.