Don’t get me wrong — I love the mashed potatoes. But my favorite part of a family Thanksgiving meal are the moments right before we eat, when we stand around the table in a circle, hold hands, and wait for my grandpa to ask one of us to pray. Holding hands with someone you love, taking a quiet moment, and expressing your thanks is a very simple idea that I think can become quite powerful, partly because we do it so infrequently.
A Thanksgiving blessing isn’t about being impressive, but I do think it’s nice to be thoughtful and purposeful about what you say in that moment. Sometimes, the right words just come to us. But when they don’t, I think it can be just as meaningful to do a short reading — maybe of scripture, or maybe of a favorite bit of poetry.
I think a reading from this book, To Bless the Space Between Us, might be just the thing. It’s a collection of poignant and well-chosen words, not just for Thanksgiving, but for all times of year when you’re searching for the right words to encourage someone or to lift them up.
The blessings in this book aren’t overtly spiritual or Christian, so it’s a good pick for a family of mixed faiths. If your family celebrates the same faith, think about choosing a favorite scripture passage to read … or maybe use Google to find a traditional prayer the may be appropriate to today as well.
I hope all our readers and Church Street customers have a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. As one of the blessings in this books says, I hope we can be aware of the “hands [that] prepared it, [and] the privilege of wealth and health that enables us to feast and celebrate.”
You can buy a copy of To Bless the Space Between Us at Church Street Coffee & Books. Read more of Carrie’s writing on her blog, Shop Small.