Thankful

I hope this finds you all having had a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by family & friends. I also hope that you didn't start shopping until Friday unless it was on the internet. Frankly I find the stores opening on Thursday highly offensive. I reward those that don't by spending my Christmas money with them. Last year R.E.I. gave both Thursday & Friday off to their employees and shut down their stores. I did quite a bit of shopping there letting management know why I was there. Its important to tell management so that they will continue the trend and allow their employees to be at home with their families where they belong. I had actually hoped to spend my day alone. I had all these plans to color in my adult color books and meditate. Cook myself this quick but lovely dinner. But it started earlier in the day when I decided to help my mom by trying to get the software downloaded for virus protection. I spent most of the day attempting to perform this task on the 3 computers only to have 2 fail because of our terrible internet. Kept reminding myself it was the thought that counted. As I dreamt how I would rather be doing just about anything else. My mother had gone out and stopped the neighbor to wish him a Happy Thanksgiving when she saw him driving out and I swore I overheard him say he was going to be alone. Mom confirmed this when she came in so when I thought he was in cell phone range I called and asked if he wanted t share my non-traditional Thanksgiving with me. He looked and mom said very lonely and depressed when he was leaving. He never called back and came home a couple hours later. So I put my puppy on a leash. Mostly so she wouldn't jump the fence and follow me anyway. And walked down to my neighbors. He had not heard my message but seemed so happy to take me up on my offer of dinner. I had no idea that what I thought was selfless. Because honestly I thought I would rather be alone. Would turn into the best Thanksgiving I had in years and years. We talked for 3 hours straight. No awkward silence. Like two old friends catching up after not seeing each other. It was an amazing gift and I was so happy not to be alone for the first time in quite awhile. Doing good things for others usually makes you feel good. But not always does it become a gift for your very soul. My neighbor reminded me why I used to always do things like this. It is love. Love for your neighbor, friends, family that is not tainted with wanting something in return. And it does fuel the soul. Without true untainted love we are nothing. Happy Thanks...Giving to you all!! Love & Light too.