Gratitude, Love, and Breathing through Thanksgiving

I don’t know about you, but this year I’m feeling particularly anxious about hosting Thanksgiving dinner at my house. In the past, I have happily hosted many Thanksgivings for my family and friends. In fact, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday; I really enjoy the tradition of watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in my pajamas while I prepare the turkey to go into the oven, savoring the aroma of the freshly baking apple pie, and the sweet smell of savory herbs, pine and cinnamon wafting throughout the house. I don’t mind cooking for 10, 12, 15 or even more people — to me it’s an expression of love and gratitude and an opportunity to connect with family.

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The Awesomeness of Awe

How often are we inspired to experience awe? Not just when we say "awww" when we see a cute kitten, hold a cuddly puppy or hear the adorable coos of a happy baby. The times we feel that intense emotion that's real awe -- when we get goosebumps or feel that special brand of joy when we notice a double rainbow in the sky, witness the miracle of birth, appreciate a magnificent work of art, or listen to the birds sing a melodious tune in harmony with one another. That enveloping feeling that we get when we realize how small we are in this vast universe.

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