As the preparations for this afternoon's or tonight's feasting swirl around us--whether we are the preparers or the casual observers--let us pause a moment to reflect on the festivities. There have been postings over the last few weeks (on Blogger and on TWV) that have been "all over the board" on what Thanksgiving means/should mean/has been corrupted into/etc. Folk have said (and excuse the paraphrasing) that this holiday is the "duty-bound" one to family and familial faith practices...that this is a non-pagan and therefore "put upon us" holiday. And, that sentiment truly bothers this little Lair mistress.
Perhaps, in some views, this is going to put me placed in the "fluffy bunny" category of us. I don't particularly care. IF one come to this day expecting to be put upon by one's family, one is comin to the holiday in the wrong mindset, in my mind.
Yes, this is not a full-out Pagan holiday. "They" did not re-envision it from the Old Times. "We" cannot claim it as lifted property. BUT....don't we all celebrate harvest festivals--regardless of our Paths? Is this not the season of the final harvests being brought in for canning/freezing/putting up? And, regardless of practice or system or Path, do we not all wish a bit of the home fires to warm us and welcome us?
SO, this day, as the turkey turns golden brown, the cranberry-apple chutneys bubble merrily, the stuffing/dressing firms and bakes, and the myriad accompaniments to this feast are created, take a moment to celebrate the connectedness we have rather than the separations we suffer. We might not be un-Broom closeted, but we can thank Her (in this season of thankfulness) for giving us this day of family and friends and feasting.
As the winter draws nigh...feel the warm, welcoming embrace of Her love....
Happy Thanksgiving, my friends! Be safe, be happy, eat heartily, and celebrate with passion!
In the softness of the Moonlight...
My dear, you said it well! I adore the Thanksgiving holiday. A day set aside to celebrate and focus on the abundance in our lives, to express our gratitude for blessings large and small, and to be with family and friends...yes, that fits into my Pagan spirituality quite nicely, thank you.
ReplyDeleteAnd please ... PLEASE ... don't worry about that "fluffy bunny" business. I would so like to wipe that phrase from the Pagan vocabulary! I find it very interesting that the wisest, most intelligent, and most spiritually advanced individuals I know, on this path or any other, are the ones who see that the more you learn, the more the lines between paths disappear. They know that Truth is big enough and simple enough to contain both light and dark, sophisticate and innocent, without conflict or compromise. You will rarely hear them use a derogatory term like "fluffy bunny." Such terms appear to be reserved for those who are still trying to prove their own "rightness."
Love to the Lair's mistress and all those in her circle of life and love...and gratitude for your words and your heart.
Love back to the Autumnal Song who makes all of our Paths a joy...and thank you, dear friend, for the reflection! (I rather hate the term in question--"fluffy bunny"...most of the rabbits I've met could whip the "bunnies" of this world--LOL)
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