In my annual search for a link to lyrics, I discovered that not only did David Roth write this at Thanksgiving, but did so mere miles from where I live:
Written during Thanksgiving weekend in Cambridge, MA for my first-ever appearances at Passim (formerly Club 47), the gratitude I was feeling atthat time for all that I had in my life continues to this day. --David Roth
The song is structured with a chorus and five verses; every time I listen it sparks different thoughts based on what’s going on in my life and in the world at large. This is what came to mind this year:
As we come around to take our places at the table
A moment to remember and reflect upon our wealth
Here's to loving friends and family, here's to being able
To gather here together in good company and health
I am wealthy. I don’t mean that kind of wealth; at this time of year I sound like like a Peanuts special (or, possibly, a post-epiphany Grinch) steadfastly asserting wealth can be measured in non-financial ways. I am rich in the people I call family by birth, marriage or choice. I have food in abundance and medical care when I need it. I have a dwelling to call home.
These families time and again prove to be the bedrock of my existence, and I do my best to be the same for the people in these groups. This year, a member of my church family nearly died of sepsis and infection that invaded his spine. Within minutes of his spouse texting to let us all know, we’d leapt into action with food, dog walking, transportation, second ears for medical appointments, and more. He’ll be at the table with us on Thursday, back to work and making music. Just last weekend, a dozen or more people spent their Saturday assisting with logistics so family and friends could mourn the loss of a friend, lover, sister and daughter gone too soon.
My Second Life music family supports and encourages one another to make more better music, to strengthen our online friendships into solid real-world ones, and to mark milestones of birth, marriage, and death.
My DailyKos family enriches my life with wise words, sharp political insight, good humor, sage advice, comment nominations I'd otherwise miss and friendships which mean more than I will ever be able to put into words. Attending Netroots Nation (August 13-15 in Denver, I hope to see you there!) is much more than ‘going to a conference’ - it's a reunion of friends old, new and not yet made all in one. I mourn those no longer with us physically, but whose presence graces our memories forever.
Like last year, Casa Brillig isn’t spending Thanksgiving with family of birth/marriage; instead, we’re having Friendsgiving (at our house!) with five other families. The Google Doc suggests we’re going to eat well whether we’re omnivore, vegetarian, or eat dairy-free, gluten-free, or keto.
May we be released from all those feelings that would harm us
May we have the will to give them up and get them gone
For heavy are the satchels full of anger and false promise
May we have the strength to put them down
When my stress levels rise, when I am angry too often and sleep too little, my blood sugar rises. Thanks, stress hormone cortisol and your effect on insulin! November 2016 thru today has brought so. much. stress. I know it’s affecting all of us, and even for the non-diabetic among us, stress is Bad. So I work hard to keep an even keel… fail regularly, but keep trying to eat right, walk more, be in contact with people who uplift my spirits, make it to yoga class and take time daily for music, quiet thoughts, and deep breaths.
Fall 2019 with its potential gift of a winter Impeachment helps, but also makes me aware of the lengths Trump and his allies will go to via lies, suppression, cheating and false information. I encourage you to find those moments where you can put the satchels down, too. Even… yes, even take a break from the 24/7 news cycle. I promise if you set social media and dKos down for a period of time, we’ll all still be here and YOU will be in better spirits.
May we wish the best for every one that we encounter
May we swallow pride and may we do away with fear
For it's only what we do not know that we have grown afraid of
And only what we do not choose to hear
That first line is HARD. But in order to be true to the ideals I believe we hold in common as Kossacks, liberals, and just plain good people, we must. To heed these words is hard to do; when needed I fall back on my Unitarian Universalist First Principle: “We affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person”. I truly believe it is possible to uphold the worth and dignity of people without having to agree with their beliefs or approve of their actions.
It is my sincerely held belief that those who either tacitly or explicitly support the Republican party do so from a place offear. Fear of missing out on something “someone else” has. Fear that Others will do them harm… a fear stoked and perpetuated by the rich white men to maintain control. Fear of those who are different colors, nationalities, religions, and sexual orientations or gender identities. Fear that those they mistreat and marginalize will one day do unto THEM as they’ve done unto Others. I will NOT let fear rule me. Fear is the mind-killer.
As we bless our daily bread and drink our day's libation
May we be reminded of the lost and wayward soul
The hungry and the homeless that we have in every nation
May we fill each empty cup and bowl
Desperate people looking for the promise of a better life need to be welcomed, not separated from their children. They need not to be deported after serving in our military or growing up here after arriving as children. Most of us are not members of the indigenous tribes who lived on these lands. Let us do better for those arriving now than we did upon our arrival, when we stole life, liberty and land from those already here. The unhoused populations in our cities and towns need shelter, and everyone working needs to be paid a living wage for that work. Families who don’t have sufficient food when schools (and their breakfast/lunch programs) aren’t in session need the means to provide for themselves without working multiple backbreaking jobs.
May nothing ever come between or threaten to divide us.
This is one line from a longer verse that’s a little more spiritual than I prefer to get into here. But this line, I cannot ignore. The upcoming year promises to be grueling as we work to remove the evil from the Oval Office, Congress, and all the way down to local offices. We have a primary season ahead and already, we’re fighting one another. Please, let us remember we are ALL on the same side. Our differences over one or the other issue pale in comparison to what we have been #resisting and #persisting about for three years. Do NOT lose sight of the end goal, and let us strengthen and carry each other forward, not cut one another down and do the work of Russians and Republicans.
The refrain goes as follows:
May the light of love be shining deep within your spirit
May the torch of mercy clear the path and show the way
May the horn of plenty sound so everyone can hear it
May the light of love be with you every day
May you have each and all of these, and may the vision of ourselves, our communities, our nation and our world come to pass because we work to bring it to fruition. This next year is going to be exh
Before I turn to the trio of Top Comments, Mojo and Pictures that are the bedrock of this community diary series, a last thought…
I am mindful always of the fact that for indigenous peoples this Thursday is NOT a celebration. Our arrival on these shores brought four centuries of tragedy and costs untold in loss of life, land, language, culture and dignity. As you gather at your Thanksgiving tables, please remember those whose land you occupy.
TOP COMMENTS
Brillig's ObDisclaimer: The decision to publish each nomination lies with the evening's Diarist and/or Comment Formatter. My evenings at the helm, I try reeeeallllyy hard to publish everything without regard to content. I really do, even when I disagree personally with any given nomination. "TopCommentness" lies in the eyes of the nominator and of you, the reader - I leave the decision to you. I do not publish self-nominations (ie your own comments) and if I ruled the world, we'd all build community, supporting and uplifting instead of tearing our fellow Kossacks down. Please remember that comment inclusion in Top Comments does not constitute support or endorsement by diarist, formatter, Top Comments writers or DailyKos. Questions, complaints or comments? Contact brillig.
From peregrine kate:
This comment by The Geogre makes points that need a wider audience. From today’s Abbreviated Pundit Roundup.
From JoanMar:
Top Commenting this one by PissedGrunty, from Dartagnan’s Glenn Greenwald is being attacked. I can't stand him. We should support him.
From mosesfreeman:
Great comment by emerly, from Dartagnan’s Glenn Greenwald is being attacked. I can't stand him. We should support him.
From BeReal:
A great comment by CanyonWren, from StevenJoseph’s So, Why Has The U.S. Economy Not Sunk Yet? It Is Because The Fed Is Doing A Whole Lot Of Bailing.
TOP MOJO
Top Mojo for yesterday, November 25th 2019, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary on FAQing Top Mojo.
Top Pictures
Top Pictures for yesterday, November 25th 2019. Click any picture to be taken to the full comment or picture. Thank you jotter!