One short week from today grocery, big box and retail stores alike will become abuzz with shoppers. While many will cross off their lists this weekend, the stores always seem abundantly full the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving day.
Now with Black Friday taking on a ‘bleeding’ effect, moving into Thanksgiving day and some pre-holiday sales, the abundant hustle and bustle are sure to be in full force come next week.
As I type this, it’s hard. Well, in truth, it’s both hard and much needed for my soul. My hope of course as the writer who shares idle thoughts with so many of you each week is that it helps a few of yours as well.
Last week history was made as the country elected Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States. As with every election before it and I suspect every one which will follow, the days that followed were filled with news clips, buzz feeds and articles keeping the hype and spin of an election alive.
During that week, I both recognized and realized I am surrounded by a large number of passionate people. I myself am one, so that should not come as any surprise.
Like many, before I knew it by Wednesday evening I found myself reading piece, after piece after piece about ‘what if’ situations. Then, I faced my keyboard. What would I share with readers as a mommy ‘post’ election.
Oh the lessons, they are many but oddly enough they did not come in the way or at the hands of who ‘won’ or who ‘lost’… I covered that last week in speaking of the Cubbies World Series win.
I will note I found it interesting overhearing a father at my children’s school tout “the winners sit together,” as he joined other parents for an awards assembly. While I don’t know specifically what he was addressing, I did find it an interesting statement regardless.
Me and mine however, we’re consciously choosing to shift our focus from the presidential election and rejoice in the holiday season to come. Like many others, Thanksgiving is my favorite. Last year it was a holiday I spent minus my children as they visited their father. It was a first for us as a family and a great lesson as well as a reminder.
We are a family abundant in blessing and we do our best to acknowledge and give praise and appreciation for this on a daily basis. We don’t have the biggest home, the fanciest car or the finest clothes. I actually like it that way. I never question nor wonder why people choose the company of myself, my PIC or our children. We’re not about things; we are about moments, experiences and love in abundance.
My hope as we go into this season of thankfulness and giving is that many of you look to a place where your abundance may benefit someone other than those who know you by name. That each of you take personal inventory and not despair in what your life is missing, but find solace in how your life can serve another.
Crazy as it sounds and as random as my brain wraps, this is what the election taught or reframed for me. This is not a time to sit the sideline in a ‘wait and see’ position. This is a time to rise. This is a time to finally log off, step up and show up for humanity.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” – John 14:27
Teresa Hammond is a staff reporter for The Oakdale Leader, The Riverbank News and The Escalon Times. She may be reached at thammond@oakdaleleader.com or by calling 847-3021.
