Happy Thanksgiving!

One of my favorite naturopathic doctors, Dr. Mark, who I've talked about a TON on this blog before, sent out a Thanksgiving email this morning that I just had to post. He talks a lot about people's use of the term "busy" when asked how they are. I am as guilty as the next person at doing this, although it's started to bug me a bit lately when I'm talking to people and they make it sound as if they are THE busiest people in the world. Like Dr. Mark says, and we all know, we are ALL busy but really, is that so bad? And should it get in the way of living? In the words of Dr. Mark:

I dare you NOT to use the word "busy" this Thanksgiving weekend. You know, when someone has the nerve to ask, "How are you?" I triple turkey tempt you not to use the word busy during the entire holiday season. Think you can do it?

"Busy" has become the new "fine." Ask how someone is and you will hear the word busy within the first 14 seconds. It doesn't mean we aren't actually busy, most of us are if we have a pulse. But what bothers me most is that "busy" becomes more than just a safe word to deflect real conversation- it begins to manifest itself from a word to an attitude. And typically into a stressed out, spread too thin, rushed, I don't have time attitude.

So when a very special holiday like Thanksgiving comes along, some of us ruin it and suck the utter joy out of it with busyness and stress. You know who you are. Do you really want busy to be your legacy? Do you want busy to be how your children and friends remember you? So this year, I'm going to suggest something radical. I'm going to ask you not to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Instead I'm going to ask you to live it. And don't just live it for a day, live it for a season. What does LIVING Thanksgiving mean to you?

Hopefully not to dress up in your favorite pilgrim garb and go into the woods to hunt your own turkey. Or only giving it lip service while you pass the mashed potatoes or have that 3rd piece of pumpkin pie watching football. "Thank God they just scored that touchdown!" doesn't quite cut it.

To me, living it means more gratitude, more generosity, more graciousness and more positive and purposeful action. Living it has less to do with things and more to do with me. Living it is not just what I do, but also how I do it and why I do it. It means I have more stillness inside of me, even if the outside of me is doing the hustle and bustle dance of the holiday season.

It means I'm not too busy to notice the world around me or too distracted to act upon the small, but important needs of others. It means I don't let stress push me through the day and stampede those who get in m way. It means I don't let me iPhone or blackberry rule m life. It means I take time and make time to breathe.

Don't play the busy game this year. Choose to do it differently. Choose to do it differently by being different. Not just in the choices you make, but by the person you are each moment. Alone. Or around those who are familiar or strangers. Doesn't matter.

I dare you not to use the word busy and try to earnestly live Thanksgiving this year rather than merely tipping your cap as it passes by. Our soul needs it. Our holiday spirit needs it. -Dr. Mark Adams

I think his words speak volumes about how we should all treat the holiday tomorrow. We are all "busy" but hopefully we can all take time to really live, to enjoy it. This holiday season I am thankful for all of my family back in the midwest. I am thankful that my mom is recovering from her surgery and feeling better each day. I am thankful for all of my friends back in the midwest, friends I have known forever and friends who know me innately. I am thankful that we will be spending the next few days in a city and state that I loved more than anything for the few years that I got to spend there. I am thankful for those friends there that welcome me back with open arms and who I love for their friendship and support. I am thankful for the life that I now have in Washington- my disgusting kitty monsters, and our crazy puppy Bella. I am thankful for our house, a job that I love, the community service that we do, co-workers and clients that make working even more fun, and friends who are my "family" here. More than anything, I am thankful for Tim- the guy who makes me laugh at dire situations, who grounds me when I need it and who un-grounds me when I'm being too practical, who holds my hand and makes me better because that is how a marriage, a true love should go. I am thankful to share this journey of life with him- to share old memories, to create family, to laugh, to love, to take care of each other, to make new memories. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you out there.

Big changes ahead for us so stayed tuned but for now we are now off to the sunny state!