Thanksgiving 2020 in Eleuthera

So this week it is Thanksgiving – let’s talk about Thanksgiving 2020 in Eleuthera.

Many people will be scoffing at the idea of giving thanks this year – but because it has been such a difficult year it is actually even more important than ever to really give some thought to what we can be thankful for. Of course Thanksgiving is neither a Bahamian or British holiday – but that is not to say that we cannot adopt the principal of the day and celebrate it – even if we are not eating turkey !

You all know how big I am on gratitude generally and this year it is especially important to consciously bring to mind and to conversations all of the things that we can be grateful for. It continues to be a time of uncertainty and I feel very strongly that we all need to stay grounded and living in the moment – not allowing the fear of what may or may not happen whip us up into a state of stress and worry …..

So here are some of mine……

Firstly and absolutely top of my list is friends and family – the personal relationships we have are what bring joy and a true sense of connection – always. Well always is sometimes not true – those close to us can bring frustration and anger sometimes – but when the chips are down our lives would be considerably poorer and lonelier without them. The ups and downs of those relationships are what give a richness to these days ….

Next up for me is living here in Eleuthera. Being in nature – walking the beaches , seeing the daily changes in how things shift and constantly change nurtures my soul – seeing the ocean raging one day and then a few days later being calm reminds me that of course everything in life is in a constant state of change – nothing can stay the same even if we wanted it to…. And the sand ! – we are like a grain of sand on a mile long beach – our insignificance in the scheme of things – holding on to worries and fears that will change anyway regardless of whether we worry ourselves silly or not – so let’s not ! Easier said than done sometimes – but the perspective that being in nature gives me can make me laugh at myself ….. Some of my best conversations with myself take place when I am walking with Rudge as my only companion….. And I do include Rudge and Ceci in my list of friends and family – they are a key part of our family and I love the feeling that I get in the evening when we have eaten our meal and we are either reading or watching something and the 4 of us are all cosy and hunkered down in the living room ……..

Then there is the sunshine and blue sky – these bring me joy and an uplifting feeling every time I see them – which is pretty often living here ! Even the cloudy and rainy days are good here – because they make me appreciate how glorious the climate is here most of the time….

Of course FOOD will always play a big part on my list of things to be thankful for…. One of the main things I am looking forward to when travel is a viable option again is sitting down in a wonderful restaurant and eagerly scanning the menu for what I am going to enjoy served up to me ! Learning to find the best of what is available here has been an ongoing pursuit over the years – and things have really improved ….. Having to eat twice or three times a day is something I am very thankful for – so often what I have eaten that day is on my list of daily gratitudes.

Books and reading are also high on this list – the ability when reading to get inside someone else’s head is a wonderful gift. That perspective is such a delight. When we move from this house I know I will hear the spirit of the house breathe a sigh of relief at the sheer weight of books leaving – you only have to carry a few to realize just how heavy they can be. Yes I know all about electronic downloads but at the moment I still love the feel of a book in my hands and the pile of them on my bedside table !

OK – so now a few more random things on the list – our new garden room which is where I sit usually around 6am to write my blogs and enjoy the daylight arriving while I tap out my thoughts….. It is halfway between being inside and outside ……

Fit Flops – the most comfortable sandals and shoes – certainly not the most stylish or glamorous footwear – sorry Fit Flop but it is true – wearing comfortable shoes has not been my modus operandi in the past – if they looked good I would suffer the pain and discomfort – crazy right ? – but now I love them and wear them on a daily basis and my feet thank me for that ! So they make the cut ……

The internet – it keeps us in touch with what is happening around the world – allows us to shop online – and boy do we miss it when it goes out. But I am a great believer that sometimes being without the things we so often take for granted is important – it makes us appreciate them so much more……

I actually could go on and on but I am going to leave my list there right now so that you can begin your own lists – Happy Thanksgiving to everyone wherever you are – as I say this is a day we should all take stock of the many things we have that we give thanks for and thank you America for making us pause once a year to do this…..

Oh – and a great cup of coffee in the morning and an icy cold beer in the evening – or a glass of champagne – OK stop – enough already …..