My favorite wine store was having more than the usual number of wine tastings in order to boost holiday sales, consequently I was heavily scheduled for evening wine tastings all week. I made a killer apple walnut cake from scratch while drinking a bottle of one of their recommendations. I love this time of year. I’m thankful for the wine.
My parents brought me up Roman Catholic, I was baptized and given first communion in that church. The churches I attended as a child at some point had folk singers with guitars, but overall the music wasn’t very good.
My formative years were spend at a Quaker school. Quakers aren’t big on consumerism, or extraneous showy thanks one or two days a year, and they aren’t really hymn singers.
When I was 9 or so, while over here visiting relatives in New England for the holiday, I attended a Congregational Church. The music was better than at any church I had attended to that point in time — lots of Mozart, Handel, the choir spectacular. I vowed to become a Congregationalist when I grew up. I’m thankful for the music.
As it happens I was never confirmed in any church as shortly after returning to the United States for good I lost my religion. Hedging my bets I currently call myself agnostic.
While I appreciate all redefinitions of the Trinity, I understand better the description of atheists at the inevitable holiday mealtime thanks to God. As I read of the typical agnostic’s half head bow I shiver proudly realizing I am an advanced agnostic. I bow my head not at all, I simply lower my eyelids halfway, putting me only a fraction away from the atheists who stare straight at the wall in front of them.
The eye lowering serves me well as we move easily on to the food and drink, toasting diversity and disagreement. I’m thankful for my friends and family.
Be generous, and accept generosity.
Happy Thanksgiving.
