With the holidays coming right up, it’s hard not to have shopping, list-making, and decorating on our minds. But first up is the day we remember the hard-earned harvests of those first community partners (the Pilgrims and Native Americans), we celebrate the fruits of our labors throughout the year, and perhaps most importantly, we give thanks for all we have!
I must admit the topic of giving and expressing thanks often floods me with feelings of guilt. I’m thinking specifically of the many birthday and Christmas gifts, meals, and other random acts of kindness that have come our family’s way without what I consider the proper response – a good old-fashioned hand-written thank you note. I get that people are busy and that emails and Facebook comments are filling in for the written word, but I’m a diehard when it comes to this. I refused to dismiss my younger son’s birthday party reminder from my online calendar until the cards were in the mail, even if it was a good five weeks post-party before it happened. I finally did give up on my older son’s thank you notes when two months had passed and I hadn’t gotten a single paragraph out of him. After reminding him daily, I finally gave up; I kick myself every day for letting both of us off the hook. I admire my friends who religiously send thank you notes, and when they arrive, I vow to be more like them. And then life gets in the way… what a sorry excuse.
Now I’m thinking about adding an annual “Thank You Note Amnesty Day” to the RFM calendar when we all wash away our previous thank you note sins and start anew. We could make that happen, don’t you think?
In the meantime, we at RFM would like to thank you, our loyal readers, for bringing us into your lives each month. In between stuffing the turkey, smashing the cranberries, and baking the pies, we hope you’ll take time to enjoy this issue, and more importantly, enjoy your family. This month’s articles on the community Thanksgiving feast and adopting older kids really drive home the meaning of this wonderful holiday.
We’ll be on the road this Thanksgiving, enjoying the long weekend with extended family. Maybe you’ll be one of the 43 million Americans who will be traveling this Thanksgiving too. If so, don’t forget your RFM – if you haven’t gobbled it up by then!
