Friday, October 1, 2010

Early Thanksgiving

Hey there,

Thanksgiving has come a bit early for me this year.

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, even as kid.

I love the tradition of gathering over a good meal and being thankful. No presents required.

As a child I had little concept of the work that went into the meal. The preparation and planning and cooking and organizing and timing. The effort it takes getting beautiful fresh food on a nicely set table with colorful gourds, sweet treats, rich wine, and lively conversation, all at the same time, with the hot dishes hot and the cold dishes cold, is an art, truly.

And then people sit down at the table and consume the meal in ten minutes.

Ouch.

I am experiencing a similar sensation now that my book is finally live. My family called all last weekend excited to tell me they had finished the book. Some had stayed up until the wee hours in the morning and some had read it in an afternoon, but all were done.

It took me three years to write and publish that book and folks were done in an afternoon?

Ouch.

I guess I am glad people are finding it a "page turner". It's not as if I thought it would take anyone three years to read..........

Thanksgiving is not all about the meal. It is about being grateful for your life, the good and the bad. Thanksgiving is about living mindfully, being appreciative of what is around you. Even if the meal ends in ten minutes, a person can hold on to the good intentions of thanksgiving all year long.

I hope the same for the book. People might read it in an afternoon, but my hope is that we all can take some of the messages in the story and carry them with us as we proceed.

Embrace life, in all its ambiguity.

Thanks for checking in-

Irene

5 comments:

  1. It's called "Canadian Thanksgiving" ;)
    Congrats on the Book!!!

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  2. We're only halfway done and are savoring it together. Sometimes it takes me awhile to regain composure before I can continue reading intelligibly enough for Brian to understand what I am reading.

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  3. I think your Thanksgiving has only just begun. I finally hold im my hands the copy of your book that I ordered as soon as I could... it is beautiful and will forever have a special place in our hearts (and on our bookshelf)! I can't wait to crawl into bed tonight to crack it open. Once we are done, I can't wait to share it. Congrats, Irene. What an accomplishment.
    Lori

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  4. I read it fast because I didn't want to put it down... I only read boring books slowly.

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