In the spirit of the holiday that is quickly approaching, Thanksgiving is a wonderfully apt celebration. It does not carry any religious connotations in specific tradition. It is sharing a feast with family, close friends and loved ones. Regardless of the earliest practitioners of this holiday, their religious belief system or which denomination/sect/cult to which they belonged... it doesn't have to start with a prayer. It doesn't have any ceremony requiring priest, pastor, father, saint, deacon or any other church member to perform a duty.

So atheist and believer alike can drink alcoholic beverages with their turkey dinner amidst their regular crews. They can talk on whatever subjects and share their views, experiences and even get to the core of the holiday.

What are you thankful for that you would state you are celebrating? (I'm asking all the PnP members). Life in general? Good health? Newfound wealth? Great friend/family circles and getting along really well?

They say there is a kind of affirmation through negation. You have to see some of the bad before the good. Within this past week, I've encountered two girls that were upset enough to cry when near them. They are not well known, close friends. As it turns out they are both very lonely young single women. They live by themselves and hate to sit alone at home in a small town where there isn't many things to do.

So the gathering itself is a celebration. Enjoy that alone and be thankful they are around to give us not only something to talk about but to annoy us with their little personality quirks. Let them set off our pet peeves. And remember that we still want to see each other even after arguments, disputes, out-right fights, etc.

I'm thankful I haven't killed anyone or gotten killed this past year. :) Am thankful that I hadn't upset anyone beyond repair except in one particular case. That negative aspect confirms that the other positive relationships are very good things indeed. Thank goodness. Or if you are religious, then you can thank your God(s).