Tom Tabler
Most of the trees have shed their leaves and are now only dreary gray skeletons of their former colorful selves just a few weeks ago. These lonely sentinels stand increasingly more often against a backdrop of dark, low-hanging, menacing clouds that whisper that winter is not here yet but it has certainly left the station and is highballing this way. The crops are harvested, the days shorter, the air colder. All these things serve to remind us that Thanksgiving is fast approaching. In the increasingly discombobulated world that we find ourselves in today, it is often times easy to forget all that can be gained by simply slowing down, taking stock of our current situation, and reflecting on where we are (and where we need to be). As we enter the 2025 holiday season, Thanksgiving reminds us of the importance of reflecting on the many blessings we have been provided, and giving thanks for those same blessings. Thanksgiving is also a time for reconnecting – not only with families and loved ones, but with ourselves. And at Thanksgiving, at least in my opinion, reconnecting should be done in person, not through social media. Social media has its purpose, allowing you to read this post, for example. However, the holidays are best enjoyed in the company of real-life family, friends, and loved ones, not tapping on a computer keyboard or cell phone.
Thanksgiving is a time that beckons us to slow down, reflect, appreciate, and be thankful for the many blessings we tend to overlook the rest of the year. A time to stop and be grateful for all we have and to experience the magic of what it means to give thanks and truly consider the many gifts in our lives. We all have long “to-do” lists, but there are times when that list just has to wait. Thanksgiving is one of those times. Thanksgiving reminds us that, in addition to all the gifts we have been given, sometimes the best gift that we can give others is simply ourselves and our presence. We might need to travel “over the river and through the woods” to make that happen, but that’s part of the magic. So don’t pass up the opportunity to find joy in all the little things you will miss unless you slow down and reflect on things this Thanksgiving.
Robert Frost penned many words of wisdom through his poetry but the greatest may be in Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening:
“Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village through;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.”
I have serious regrets that I have not taken the time to watch woods fill up with snow more often during my life. There was always someone wanting something that I thought was more important. And, silly me, I would work like a government mule to try and make sure that they got it. I predict that’s all going to change in the not-too-distant future. I don’t have quite the same priorities today as in years past. It’s taken a while, but I better understand the things that truly matter these days. It’s hard to believe that Robert Frost wrote Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening in 1922 and that it’s now over 100 years old. I remember reading it in high school in 1974 when it was barely 50 years old. Somehow, another 50+ years have gone by since then. Where was I when all this happened?
This Thanksgiving season, we can all benefit from stopping to watch woods fill up with snow and traveling “over the river and through the woods” to embrace all the wonderful things that truly make life worth living…. family, friends, faith, love, and time spent together. Perhaps 1 Corinthians 13:13 says it best: “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Happy Thanksgiving my fellow poultry aficionados! My prayer is that you will join me in sharing your faith, hope, and love with those nearest and dearest to you this Thanksgiving, take time to reflect on the things that are truly important during our short time here, and give thanks for all that each of us have been blessed with.
