thankful, all week long

i have been thinking quite a bit lately about thankfulness.  i suppose it's natural, what with the holiday approaching, and all.  i've been thinking mostly about how i haven't been spending enough time dwelling on all that i have to be thankful for.

instead, i feel as though i've been far more focused on what is missing from my life.  and really, little is missing.  i am so blessed.  i have plenty.

a wonderful word - "plenty."  it is both a noun and an adjective.  i love that.

plenty (noun) - a full or abundant supply or amount: There is plenty of time.

plenty (adjective) - more than sufficient; ample: That helping is plenty for me.

i have both.  my life is full of gifts and many blessings.  this week, i'll be reflecting on my plenty in this space.  an exercise in gratitude.  from the sublime to the ridiculous.

today, i am thankful for food.  that i have enough of it.  that my family is not hungry.  that i can afford to purchase the food that i enjoy eating and that nourishes my family.  that i know how to make healthy choices about food (even though i don't always make those choices).  that my mother knew, somehow, years and years ago, that high-fructose corn syrup was evil.  that i had the good sense to listen to her (on that topic).

i am thankful for the csa we participated in this year - for the fresh, local, organic produce that i carried into my home each week from july through november. 

i am thankful that food is so lovely to photograph.  (incidentally, i'm thankful for my camera.)

i am thankful that i enjoy cooking.  that my husband enjoys cooking.  that my children enjoy cooking.  that we eat dinner together, as a family, almost every single night of the week.  that we enjoy eating dinner together.  that this week, we will eat dinner with so many of our extended family.  that yogurt can be substituted for buttermilk in biscuits (and muffins and waffles).  that, before he died, my father passed on his secret for the most delicious pecan pie.  that my daughter grew out of her peanut allergy so that we can eat pecan pie again.

(i said, from the sublime to the ridiculous.)

i have plenty.  and i am thankful.

(thanks to dictionary.com for the definitions of plenty. - you can find more here.)

Comments

[leslie]

oh yes, it is a blessing to not be hungry.
my heart truly aches for those that are.

[leslie]

thanks for the reminder. to be thankful. and not focus on the not-haves. i have so much. so much.

[cloth.paper.string]

i really enjoy your wandering words through thankfulness, especially those around food. there is so much about that which we eat that is much much larger than what we find on our plates - the growing, the selecting, the prepping, the cooking, the baking, the recipes handed down, the sharing of meals. so much to be thankful for. thanks for shining your candle of gratitude on this for us, emily.

lovely photos, too. i like how the gourd seems to multiply.

[Grace]

I love that! The word plenty is so, so great! You know how sometimes you just go along and don't even notice a word, and then suddenly it has new meaning to you? Oh, I'm so very glad you posted this tonight. I'm sending you an email now. xo

[Juddie]

hi ms shining egg,
i adore these pictures of pumpkins!
.....and I agree, we have an awful lot to be thankful for. how lovely it is to notice the little beautiful things in every day :-)