"Give Thanks"

November 27, 2008 at 6:01 AM by Cafe Kierna - Comments (3)

"Give thanks," is the salutation the rastas in my neighborhood leave each other with. Whenever I overhear it, it resonates, lingers. Give thanks. How true that every day should be filled with thanks giving. Back in college, I decided I wasn't going to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday because of the painful history it represents to so many Native Americans. Now I celebrate it because of what it means to me.

• I am eternally thankful for my ancestors, my heritage and rich black family traditions.
• Speaking of traditions, I am thankful for Aunt Dena's spinach balls recipe and Mommy's mouth-watering, hand-rolled rolls.
• I'm grateful for my loving baby sister, master chef and understanding friend on the mommy journey.
• I'm thankful that I've seen my father on stilts with my own eyes, as he dances in Carnival a million feet in the air.
• I'm thankful that I have a beauty queen (literally), brilliant mother who believes in me and whose creative mothering is my own solid blue print.
• Coffee Haagen Dazs, is something I'm definitely thankful for.
• The Jimmy Choo nude stilettos I still can't believe I own, the same.
• I'm thankful for reading, for writing, for readers and for writers.
• I'm thankful for a creative career and a chance to share with other mothers.
• I'm thankful for my man because he has many beautiful layers; because he loves our children with a crazy passion.
• I'm grateful to be a woman and would choose it every time.
• I'm grateful for my fabulous friends, including 87-year-old Aunt Elsie, who trusts me with her secrets.
• I'm blessed to be a mother and by way of it, discover my own depth.
• I chose my fantastic, healthy, intuitive children--and I give thanks upon thanks that they chose me.
• I am so thankful that the world is waking up.

Happy Thanksgiving! What are you thankful for?