Adding to the menu

HipWriterMama has a whole meal planned for you. Not only did she write an incredibly thoughtful post herself, but she's also linked to a buffet of riches from other bloggers. Go on, you're invited...

The only thing I could add to her menu is an article from the Washington Post. (You'll have to do a quick registration to view it, but in my humble opinion, the Post has so many great online resources that it's worth it, as I blogged about here.) The article is titled "Give Thanks. It's Good For You." I think the "Grade Yourself on Gratitude" quiz that accompanies the article is a bit obvious, like if you pick "I don't think I've gotten all the good things that I deserve in life" don't you know that you're gonna take a hit in the gratitude rankings?

But the part of the article that I found most interesting was this: "The greater your appreciation for beauty, the greater your gratitude." I know this is true for me, that the days I'm in tune with the immense, almost soul-searing beauty of the world, I'm the most grateful for the chance to be a part of it.

This is why I think it's so important for kids to have art, and books, and walks in the woods. Beauty has a way of both healing wounds and inspiring more beauty. Beauty isn't a pretty face; it's the recognition that we are made to respond to life with thanksgiving.

I just decorated my apple pie for tomorrow with tiny pastry stars. It's a trick I learned from my daughter. It looks beautiful, and I plan to be grateful for every bite.

***See you in a few days. I'm taking a mini blog break. Happy Thanksgiving!