Give Thanks

The English colonists we call Pilgrims celebrated days of Thanksgiving as part of their religion. But interestingly, those were originally days of prayer, not days of feasting. This Thanksgiving, I am celebrating life at Disney World. Having so much fun can be exhausting, but worth every minute of it. Disney World is an interesting experience. It is easy to see why it is the happiest place on earth. The employees do everything with a smile and a friendly attitude. If only real life could be like that the rest of the time. Even the patrons are friendly. All of the friendliness and wonder rubs off on absolutely everyone. Long lines, no problem because people wait patiently and even kids are in good spirits while they are in line. It is an amazing sight. You really do not see cranky people. When kids get tired they sleep in their strollers. It’s pretty cute to see a long line of strollers mid-day and after 9 pm with lots of little ones catching some Z’s. I even observed a couple of adults sleeping on benches, sleeping on the bus and one adult took the opportunity to catch a nap in a stroller. I know people are on vacation and with that, people are just more patient and accommodating. But overall the energy of Disney is contagious. It’s just difficult to be cranky in such a magical place with so many friendly people around you. It is a great example of how the attitude of those around you affect everyone else. Walt Disney knew what he was doing in creating a place where everyone could feel special and child like. It is the example of how life should be.......friendly, magical, playful and creative. Everyone just goes with the flow. When you arrive they greet you with a "welcome home." I love that. The message and lesson, anywhere you are, in that given moment is your home for the time being. It is just another reminder of being in the moment. If you think about it, we really don’t technically own anything. Everything is merely energy in transition, coming in and out of our lives. You can’t take it with you, so really, all we have is the given moment we are in immediately. So yes, Disney is our home for now. There is a wonderful movie by Frank Capra called, You Can’t Take It With You, about a family that lives life in the moment, following their wishes and dreams. It is a sweet movie, very Disneyish, with a very inspiring message. The pilgrims had a lot to be thankful for. Life was hard back then and they truly had to live in the moment, being grateful for safety, food and the opportunity for a new beginning. On this Thanksgiving, when we text greetings on our iphones or similar, fly across country to see relatives, watch DVD’s, and eat too much food, remember those who paved the way for us to have the lives, freedom and progress we have today. Many people have laid down their lives for the liberty we have. In addition, many people are currently struggling, feeling lost, alone and hopeless during this time of the year. I send a blessing out to everyone, may this Thanksgiving bring you a sense of peace and abundance of spirit.....and may we all be united in love. As I sit at Disney World eating my Thanksgiving meal, I will feel deeply grateful for the opportunity to experience such a special place during this holiday. I bet the pilgrims would have been amazed by Disney World for it brings alive the spirit of unity, joy and prosperity, everything the new world offered them so many years ago. Be thankful this Thanksgiving and send out your own blessing, like the original pilgrims did back in the 1600's. "Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul"....(Henry Ward Beecher). "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them"...(John Fitzgerald Kennedy).