This week, in recognition of American Thanksgiving, I immersed myself in poems of gratitude. Thanksgiving is my favourite holiday – good food, family, gratitude, without all the commercialization of Christmas (setting aside Black Friday). This poem, by Hakim Bellamy, has stayed with me all week. So often, we look at life from the lens of a very short time horizon – a day, a week, at most, a year. Our time (and sometimes, patience) for anything that doesn’t seem like an immediate priority is limited.
Anyone reading this has surely heard the saying: “The only thing constant in life is change.” In his poem, Hakim invites us to stretch our time horizon to years, a lifetime, reminding us that we have enough space in our hearts for those who are important to us, and to slow down enough to appreciate the unfolding of life. As you head into the holiday season, I invite you to zoom out and take a broader perspective, noticing the transition from freckles to folds in your own lives.
Happy Thanksgiving. I am so grateful for your continued support in my own unfolding.
