For me, today is a day to pause and to be gentle and grateful. I’ll skip Black Friday, it feels too much like an exploitation of a holiday, not a holiday that calls for gratitude and reflection.

How fortunate I am to be on this farm with our animals and sharing my life with Maria. I could never ask for more than that. This Thanksgiving, I have everything I ever wanted and everything I need.

I am truly sorry for all the anger and fear in our world right now. But today is all good for me.

Maria and I and Zinnia are going to the Mansion at 11 a.m. to meditate with the residents who have no families to go to, and to read them some stories.

This afternoon I’m cooking one of my specialties, fresh scallops for our Thanksgiving dinner. Our friend Emily has baked us a beautiful wheat bread for breakfast.

Tonight, we’ll watch the new Len-Manuel Miranda movie Tick-Tock-Boom on Netflix (Saturday we’re going to see Belfast at a local theater). We plan to give thanks to the animals on the farm today and be with them.

I’m hoping for a very quiet and peaceful day, I have so much to be thankful for. I can’t say I relate the day to the pilgrims, the story is clouded and fuzzy for me. I’m learning a lot about my country.

But I will sit down, put some music on and think in solitude about the things I love – Maria, some wonderful new friends, our animals, dogs, blog, photography, my Amish neighbors, the good doctors who are leading me to a healthy place.

I am grateful for the creative life I have been given to share.

I used to think (just months ago) that I would not be around for long, the actuaries say people with two chronic diseases don’t usuallly last past 75. Now I feel good and sure that you’ll have me to put up with for some years after that.

I didn’t know it was up to me in part. The fates will have their say, an I will have mine.

I have no desire to live forever, but I have a new and strong desire to be with Maria and the farm and the blog (and my new adopted Leica) and continue the work of good. It is more important than ever. That alone is a good  reason to get healthier.

Zinnia and I are back at our therapy work and really appreciating it, and I am grareful for all the help we have given the new Afghan refugee and the existing ones.

I am also grateful to have this important and fulfilling work to do.

When I hear what these new refugees – and the Bishop Maginn students –  have been through, I remember to be especially grateful for my life. Life is not a straight line, there are ups and downs, and grace to me is how I deal with the downs, the ups take care of themselves.

I am especially grateful to my friend Sue Silverstein, for guiding me through this work and teaching me how to do it well. Her heart is as big as a mountain.

I am in a good place with a bunch of bumps, and I thank so many of you for helping me to get there, to share my story, to support my work and think along with me about what it means to be a human being, even in these bumpy days.

I wish you all good health, love and connection, and above all else, gratitude for the life we have been given and the opportunity to use it.

It was Seneca who said “Life is long if you know how to use it.” Every day  I am learning how to use it, Happy Thanksgiving to you. I am grateful for you.