THANKSGIVING
The time draws near
And the calendar says
Thanksgiving is really here.
Time to reflect and time to gather
Thoughts of what to be thankful of.
Thankful? I think not.
My life is not full these days
And to be thankful is beyond my grasp.
But to give thanks? This, I believe, can be done. 
Searching my soul deep within
Reasons to give thanks surface to the edge
Yes, I give thanks
For the memories of yesterdays,
The love, the laughter, the joy of each day when James was with us
The trials & tribulations of being an active parent,
The rewards & the challenges of raising a child,
The days of blissful ignorance when I thought tragedy would never visit our home,
The days when life was normal, even though I took it all for granted.
For the treasures of todays,
The sunrise, sunset, the changing of the seasons,
The new found friends along this journey I reluctantly travel
The tried & true friends who stand by me still,
The strong and everlasting love of my husband
The warmth of wet kisses from my canine companion & feline friend,
The encouragement & support, compassion & caring I give & receive as
I survive and help others survive.
For the hopes and possibilites of a peaceful tomorrow,
With faith, love, & perseverance as I struggle to move on
With James in my heart forevermore, spiritually guiding me with his new presence,
With sorrow and reluctance, each new day,
To yet, somehow, be open and loving,
Not to forsake what I’ve learned Because of what I’ve lost.
You see, it’s not about keeping up with the Jones’ having an SUV or two in the garage, having the largest beanie baby collection having so many CD’s, video games, or the newest, most improved, latest and greatest new gadgets, not even being up to date with state of the art technology –
It’s about love – it’s about the gifts of yesterday, blended with the blessings of today to make meaning for tomorrow.
Meg Avery (James’ mom)
AfterTalk invites readers to submit their own poem, essay, or suggestions for inspirational quotes for publication. Please send your submission to larry@aftertalk.com
