Thanksgiving Spirit, All Month Long

by Karen Coney Coplin

Whether we are gathering with loved ones around the table or comfortably tucked away in a favorite chair at home, appreciating life’s blessings can be as simple as giving thanks. Expressing gratitude has a way of lifting us up even in hard times or on hard days. Especially so during November, when we celebrate Thanksgiving and the arrival of the holiday season.

Here are 10 ways to keep that Thanksgiving spirit alive and welling after the holiday has passed:

10. Enjoy the comforts of home: hopefully a setting of familiarity and belonging. A place for each of us, where gratitude takes root.

9. The changing seasons are a reminder that renewal is coming. In Naples, we do not get to enjoy traditional foliage, yet we can herald the end of hurricane season.

8. Think about the connections which lift you up and sustain you. These are our friendships and family and community ties. It could be our neighbors or our colleagues, too. All of these make us feel grounded.

7. At Thanksgiving, we can share laughter and stories and even tears too. One of my favorite sayings: joys shared are doubled and sorrows shared are halved.

6. The bounty of Thanksgiving often means that meals are prepared from handed-down recipes, with a loving and personalized touch. Equally so, breaking store-bought bread or rolls together is also a symbol of sharing and caring.

5. No act of kindness is ever wasted, whether large or small. These are the reminders of the good within us and all around us. Look for these. Comment upon them. Be a part.

4. Cooler mornings at sunrise and the magnificence of fall sunsets in Naples are gentle reminders to slow down in a peaceful setting far larger than ourselves.

3. Many of us have been tested in the past year with challenging times, grieving losses and adapting to change. We may need to lean on others as well as to look within for the strength to stay hopeful.

2. And with these supports, know that every helping hand- whether dishing out mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving, or sitting silently next to you with their palm clasped to yours, brightens our spirits and strengthens our humanity.

1. Just as many will bow their heads at Thanksgiving, each new November day offers a fresh opportunity to live in grace and gratitude.

This November, may we all have the ability to slow down and reflect on the warmth of friendship and family, the stories that we share, and the homes that hold all of these.

Also, I wanted to take a moment of peaceful condolence and deep appreciation for the legacy of the talented late artist, Phil Fisher, whose colorful works of art appeared countless times on the cover of this magazine. He will be missed. Phil had a kind and gentle and humorous spirit, which will shine brightly amid all the beauty he brought into this world.

-I’m abundantly thankful to call Naples my home and to connect with you here.

Let’s shine together!

Please contact Karen at NaplesKCC@gmail.com with suggestions for future article coverage, which is often centered on charitable organizations in Naples and the programs/services these groups offer.

To receive a copy of the full text of Emily Dickinson’s poem about hope; or with suggestions for future articles, especially about charitable organizations with new programs or ongoing programs needing a spotlight. Additionally, for more vignettes about life in Naples, give her a follow-on Instagram @Naplesbythenumbers