……………………….Happy Thanksgiving everyone………..Another year has come, and I’m another year older, but I’m not sure if I’m any wiser…..This Thanksgiving I find myself in a very contemplative mood…..As I get older I find myself thinking more and more about what makes me “happy” and what does not…….I find myself becoming more insular, and taking a step back from the world as it is today…..so different from the naive and blindly happy world I grew up in during the 50’s…….I find I watch less and less of the news, and only try to catch the weather report…..I used to be a news junkie, but I just can’t listen anymore…..It’s all so horrifying……The natural disasters that seem to come one after the other, the stories on global warming and who and who does not believe…..I for one do….and the hate and fighting here in American and the rest of the world is unrelenting. Our political parties doing everything they can to destroy each other, and make sure the other fails in any attempts they make to have something happen….even if they try to do good….just for the sake of power…..They try to crush one another, or stand back and gleefully watch the other party make mistakes without any attempt to help….even if the outcome hurts the American people…..you and me…..Instead of joining hands and forces for the greater good….these STUDID IDIOTIC men with HUGE egos just do their best to tare each other apart…without any care of how it effects all of us…..It is so sad that this is where we are at as a country today…..Prejudice and racial discrimination is at an all time high….It seems so many people mistrust and hate everyone else ……..Will there ever be common ground in my lifetime between the Whites and the Blacks, the Asians, the Arabs, and the Mexicans and all of the other races and religions? Who will be the next people that hate is focused upon??? All you hear about on the news are the killings and the senseless murders……I realized I was starting to internalize everything I was hearing……..so I made a conscious decision to stop it all…..”Stop the World I want to get off”……..Jac always said “thank God for our own separate peace”….. Those words are ringing truer than ever……..The parameters for giving “thanks” are getting smaller and smaller……..For me it’s all about my family and the few close friends I do have…..As the years go by those borders seem to be getting tighter and tighter, as those that we love and give thanks for leave us………hopefully for a better place…… I find myself escaping and watching more and more movies and shows on TV that lift my spirit, and bring my mind to a gentler place……I just can’t listen to news about China, Russia, Iran, Israel and the Palestinians, the Pandemic, the catastrophes around the planet, the new bombs being developed by China and North Korea, the fighting and shootings, and all of the other spirit breaking news we are bombarded with constantly……..For my own health and peace of mind I am turning it off…….Escapism….absolutely….survival of the spirit….for sure…….We all have to do what we must to be HAPPY…….So after this gloomy speech and sermon I have just given on this Thanksgiving Day….what does make me happy and thankful today????? Firstly, my family. Without them I don’t know what I would do. Secondly, my close friends and my extended family of friends…..all of you. I give thanks that I can still keep my beloved home, filled with so many memories……and I give thanks for my relatively good health………I pray that things will change, even though the more I hear and see the more my hope is under attacked………so…..I have retreated to my own separate peace…….Am I sticking my head in the sand? Maybe so…..but we all have to do what we have to do to be happy, and survive…..Happiness for me is finding a peaceful place for my body and mind to live the rest of my life……..I pray that you all have a Happy Thanksgiving. I wish you do what you can to spread kindness to one another, and maybe…..just maybe things will change for the better…………………much love to all of you……………………Louis
Hi Louis,
I too agree with everything you have said. It’s good to know that I’m not alone in this struggle. I think loosing our life partner may be part of the problem. As I age, I find myself looking for peace and contentment. I watched the news a lot before the presidential election but it caused me so much stress and unhappiness. There is so much ugliness in the world. Then I remembered advice I had read about how to lead a happy/contented life. It included limiting news and media intake, enjoying nature, bringing fresh flowers into your home, laughing, maintaining a gratitude journal, exercise and so forth. I have been trying to follow that advice. I look for television shows and books that elevate my mood and bring beauty into my life. Lately I have been watching the British show “Escape to the Country”. I find it peaceful, and the scenery is beautiful – “escape” being the operative word. I think service to others also brings a feeling of purpose and contentment. After so many years of life, you would think that we would have it all figured out. Alas, life continues to be a journey.
Donna, your life plan sounds like a very good one. It is an ugly world we live in, and I try to surround myself with beauty. The beautiful sunrise this morning started my day with awe.
Hi Louis,
So understand…
I too was a news junkie, but today it seems not to be real news but propaganda and sensationalism … on both sides of the aisle. So, I am turning off the news for the most part.
I will never forget when my mom told me many, many years ago that the headline writers were different from the article writers. Some headline writers never even read the articles. They create headlines just to catch the attention of their readers.
My husband worked for the legislature when in college at the University of Texas, Austin. He reviewed bills, etc. Anyway, he once told me that the most dangerous legislators were not the “innocent” ones but the naive ones. They could easily be manipulated into voting for a bill because they didn’t know what the stinkers had hidden in it. I thought about it.
I noticed that over the years, many candidates were selected not because they were the best …but because that were naive and could easily be manipulated by the big shots. So frustrating.
There are many good guys/ gals in the USA who would be wonderful leaders…
So, I am keeping the faith and praying a lot for our country.
Thank you for your post, Louis. Happy Thanksgiving!
What channel is that show on? I don’t know it.
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family/friends!
You echo my sentiments exactly, I could have written this, but you said it more eloquently!
It’s a difficult, strange time we are living in.
I’ve written before about my husband’s passing. I appreciate your response and thoughts more than you can know.
It’s the worst holiday season I’ve experienced as a new widow. Unfortunately I’m going through this alone. My youngest son is across country, he keeps me going with his supportive calls and texts. My oldest son, 15 minutes away, has seen fit not to associate with me. A complete mystery, I try not to dwell on it 24/7. 2 brothers are out of state and have decided to spend time with their nuclear families. So, I’m basically excluded. I was always family oriented, held lovely family dinners, it’s an almost impossible adjustment.
Anyway, this is not a blog for complaints, so I’ll end this message by saying I’m taking your advice by being good to myself, focusing on the things to be grateful for. I don’t dwell on news anymore, and I’m also watching cheerful, uplifting movies, series, shows. Music and reading have also been my salvation.
All my best!
I hope you had a very happy, enjoyable Thanksgiving, Louis. I agree with you and am in the same boat—how unbelievably our world has changed. It is family and friends that bring joy in our lives and the ones like you who bring beauty in our world and lives especially bring joy to us, thank you!
Hope you had a very enjoyable, happy, and peaceful Thanksgiving! I agree with you and find myself thinking and doing many of the same things. How unbelievably our world has changed. It is family and friends we treasure and make life meaningful, so very true.
Louis, I share your sentiments. I keep in touch with my family while I’m living on the west coast and am waiting for my house to be built near my family on the east coast to move close to them. My siblings and I limit our news intake these days, but when it seeps in anyway we hold each other up as best we can. I wish you peace and peace of mind this Thanksgiving. Thank you for sharing your professional and your personal insights.
Eloquent as always, Louis. These recent years have been stress filled for so many reasons and it’s important to feed your soul. Hope you have a love-filled day with family. You certainly brighten our lives Mr. Leo!
Hope you have a wonderful and peaceful Thanksgiving with family/friends, Louis. Your comments were well stated and I’m in agreement. We need to find our own peace and enjoyment.
Well said! My escape is reading. I also seldom watch the news – just enough to know what is going on. Make my weekly trip to the library and keep my nose in a book.
Happy Thanksgiving, Louis! Just taking a break from cooking. Three of the four sons are home and that is what makes me happy! Hugs and love to you!
I have to agree with you. I skip watching news for the most part and check on line every so often. My husband is another who is engrossed in Outlander. I read the books years ago but haven’t watched the series.
We no longer decorate much for the holidays as it’s just the two of us. Plus it’s not so easy with 2 big dogs. I did notice that a company I order from occasionally (Wendell August Forge) has a Snow Crystal North Star hanging ornament in aluminum or bronze. It reminds me of your Compass necklace with the North Star. I’m very tempted to order.
Happy Thanksgiving Louis! Among the many things I am thankful for, you are included on the list. Thank you for your wonderful designs over the years and I continue to wear practically everything Linea! Your talent has been such a beautiful gift to so many! God bless you now and in the coming year.
Good morning Louis,
Sending my best wishes to you and your family on Thanksgiving.
Heading over the river and through the woods to my niece in Peapack, N.J.
Gratefully, Elaine
Beautifully said Louis. I agree with every word. We hardly watch the news anymore. Dave and I are with our family The first time we have all been together in two years. We are thankful for our time together.
Peace and blessings to you
Ginny
Happy Thanksgiving to you Louis.
We feel the same way, keep the television off and turn on some music, just enjoying our gardens in the summer and fires in the fireplace in winter thankful for what we have.
Louis, I relate to and agree with you. I seek peace to the point of being insular-the perfect word. I cannot watch the news. I try but inevitably have to stop because I get upset. Yesterday, I enjoyed my precious jazz (could not make it through this life without it!!) or just quiet and looking out the window at the beautiful fall leaves and sunshine. Last night we watched Casablanca and Christmas in Connecticut, if that tells you anything!!
Have a blessed, peaceful and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
I’m right there with you…..I can’t tell you how many time I’ve watch “HOLIDATE” on NETFLIX just for a good laugh….Now I’m engrossed in “OUTLANDER”. I just started to bing watch and I’m up to season three. It’s a great escape.