From the Editor
Gratitude & Thankfulness
By Yvette Neshi Lokotz
I love Autumn. I love the trees’ leaves changing color and then dropping to the ground. I even love the rain during this time as it helps nature to prepare for winter. I am grateful for this time of year because we begin preparations to be indoors during the colder weather to come. My mind turns to thankfulness not because of Thanksgiving but rather because of the last few items harvested from the garden and how we begin to prepare meals that are more comforting — such as stews, soups, and ovenbaked foods.
My family has gathered at this time of year for the gun deer hunting season, and Thanksgiving just happens to occur during the same time. We did have the turkey meal with all the trimmings. We even watched the Macy’s parade as well as the football games. I never really felt true thankfulness built around this one day a year. I do, however, believe in being grateful and being thankful. My spiritual practice places gratitude and thankfulness very high
every day, not just one day a year. My practice is not based on the commercialized platitude of Thanksgiving Day. I also avoid Black Friday shopping. Have you noticed how you feel when you are heartfelt thankful and heartfelt grateful? A sense of happiness, peacefulness, light-heartedness, and even joy is felt deep inside. I consciously choose to be grateful and thankful so that I can feel happy. Sometimes, I have to give myself an attitude adjustment to have heartfelt gratitude and
Credit: Freepik
I have written many blog articles and magazine articles about Thanksgiving and this U.S. holiday from a Native American perspective. I haven’t celebrated Thanksgiving in the traditional sense in many decades. However, I have prepared more traditional
foods around this time of year because I enjoy them.
Star Nations Magazine • November 2020 • 4
