Maybe I'll just do a journal entry

Maybe I'll just do a journal entry.  If I don't get too personal, maybe I can share it with my Multiply friends.  But maybe I'll just write the way I do in my journal.  Because I probably ought to write right now, so I don't get all stoved up with emotion and get myself a writer's block and then wander off into other pursuits, trying to keep the pain at bay.

It is Thanksgiving night.  Today we remember to be thankful.  Today we also remember all the yesterday holidays.  Or maybe we think about somebody else's better holidays.

Some of my friends have losses.  No.  Make that ALL of my friends.  I am certain that all of my friends have losses.  Life can be so full of losses sometimes.

No, apparently I cannot write about this.  It just causes me total creative shutdown.  Temporary, I am sure.  It seems important to me, though, to actually DO the stopping.  It's this way.  Some things DO require some mourning.  Some things are really bad, you know?

Can you read between the lines?  When you read between the lines, do you think that I have some "fresh" loss?  No.  Not fresh.  Maybe you do, though.  And when I see (or think I see) that you do ... well, then I can barely speak.  Or even think at all.

Thanking God for Life.  Mine, yours, and theirs.

Sigh.

Wednesday Note to Self

Re: Email from Marcia at ACCESS -- remember to watch WGVU tonight at 8 p.m.

Marcia wrote:

"Thanksgiving wishes to all of you.  Despite the media focus on how difficult things are, I am hoping each of you has something you can think of to be thankful for.  There is so much positive we can focus on that will help direct our energy in a more optimistic fashion. 

 

"Despite the increased numbers of individuals visiting the food pantries, we are still receiving calls and emails from families wanting to provide a holiday food basket.  Our pantry volunteers and directors are stepping up to the increased need but if you get a chance to visit any of the pantries, please let them know how much we appreciate their willingness to give of themselves.

 

"Every day, our mail brings us surprised and welcomed donations that will help ACCESS continue to provide the services for the community and it's congregations.  We continue to hear God stories of those who offer to help and are surprised when they find themselves receiving as much satisfaction as the individual they are working with.  God continues to work through the people of our community and it is for that we are very thankful.

 

"I saw the premier of a locally produced film called, The Gift of All: A Community of Givers.  It will be shown on WGVU this Wednesday, Nov 26 @ 8pm.  In 2004, the Chronicle of Philanthropy recognized Grand Rapids, Michigan as the nation's second most generous city, per capita, next to Salt Lake City, Utah, with Grand Rapids residents giving 10 percent of their income to a variety of charitable causes. The Gift of All was a researched, written and produced by a group of local citizens to learn from and honor a generation of givers as well as to inspire everybody by showing the history and potential of giving and voluntarism in our community.

 

"We have so much to be thankful for..... May God continue to bless you and your family with grateful hearts."