Thankful for Sweet Potatoes

This morning, while working at DS, D read this poem/prayer to me. She received in via email from a good friend. It's a great poem and very accurately describes so much of what I am blessed with and thankful for. In the email it also noted that Mr. Coots died earlier this year at the of 81. Well, his wonderful words keep moving.



LET US GIVE THANKS

Let us give thanks for a bounty of people
For children who are our second planting
and though they grow like weeds
and the wind too soon blows them away,
May they forgive us our cultivation
and remember fondly where their roots are.

Let us give thanks:
For generous friends, with hearts as big as hubbards
and smiles as bright as their blossoms;
For feisty friends as tart as apples;
For continuous friends, who, like scallions and cucumbers,
keep reminding us we've had them;
For crotchety friends, as sour as rhubarb
and as indestructible;
For handsome friends, who are as gorgeous as eggplants
and as elegant as a row of corn,
and the others, as plain as potatoes and so good for you;
For funny friends, who are as silly as Brussels sprouts
and as amusing as Jerusalem artichokes,
and serious friends, as complex as cauliflowers
and as intricate as onions;
For friends as unpretentious as cabbages,
as subtle as summer squash,
as persistent as parsley,
as delightful as dill,
as endless as zucchini,
and who, like parsnips,
can be counted on to see you throughout the winter;
For old friends,
nodding like sunflowers in the evening-time
and young friends coming on as fast as radishes;
For loving friends, who wind around us like tendrils
and hold us, despite our blights, wilts, and witherings;
And finally, for those friends now gone,
like gardens past that have been harvested,
but who fed us in their times
that we might have life thereafter;
For all these we give thanks.

-- Max Coots



Even though I do not have time enough in the world to type out every single thing I am thankful for, there a few things I feel like adding right now...
I am thankful that my wonderful, wonderful family is coming to visit me here in NYC and that my extended family sends love from every where else. I have the best parents and siblings- people who are consistently there to talk, to listen, and to love... and a bunch of pseudo families who do the same thing, just from different houses. I am blessed that my internships here in NYC have been with Good people who care about where I am going and what I am doing. They listen, encourage, and allow me to fail- consistently forgiving, offering a hand up, and believing that I will accomplish great things. I am fortunate for friends that fit every description in the poem... they all are the reasons for my sanity. I thankful that next-to-no-one has told me I couldn't do something... well, except maybe the police... and John in the 2nd grade, but they don't count. I guess, I meant sometimes as in have a career in theatre. I have a very strong support net. I am grateful that God has revealed Himself[Herself...I don't know and I don't care] to me in the form of deep breaths, long hugs, and supportive communities- including some organized churches [gasp].
I have had opportunities this year that most people will only ever dream of. Some how the stars alligned, I went massively in debt, and enough people believed in me that I am consistently going to new places with new opportunities to learn and to grow. And I have been blessed with a mind, body, and spirit that allow me to explore and Be.

So Thank you. And let us be thankful, for we have great opportunities to do beautiful things... and provide support for others to live, express and Love.

Often I think less about pilgrims during this holiday and more about people and blessings.

May the Peace of the Lord be with you Always.