Now is the lovely time for naming and celebrating the residents of our grateful hearts. The anticipation of a holiday gathering is as sacred as the day itself. By its happy nature, our time spent making lists and making ready confers blessing upon those whose coming is eagerly awaited.
We review the natures, distinct and beloved, of our family members and friends (although, as we age, all become family, it seems), and carefully seek means and considered pleasures to suit each one’s taste and desires for comfort. We hold their travels in thought and therefore prayer. We decorate and clean our homes, bake favorite foods, and honor traditions and expectations that make the day our own, known and spirit-soothing in its annual familiarity, while holding generous space open for unexpected rituals, late arrivals, and new participants.
We mourn the loss of those who have changed worlds. We welcome their spirits and share their stories, and realize they, too, are present in our preparations and celebration. Sweet shadows and echoes surround us; we move in patterns created and danced by generations, our hearts reach and touch their light, our love gathers all to the table.
A Blessed Thanksgiving and Holy Communion to all…
Bless our guests, those we hold in holy anticipation…
The merry,
the meek,
the picky,
the grand,
the peevish,
the extroverts,
the loners,
the funny,
the sad,
the early birds,
the latecomers…
May all feel welcomed and essential.
Bless us all in our gathering and gratitude.
And bless all in their sweet departure:
May they be fortified
and fueled by love.
© Copyright of all visual and written materials on The Daily Round belongs solely to Catherine M. O’Meara, 2011-Present. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited, without Catherine O’Meara’s written approval. No one is authorized to use Catherine O’Meara’s copyrighted material for material gain without the author’s engagement and written permission. All other visual, written, and linked materials are credited to their authors.
THE DAILY ROUND 
Blessings Kitty….May you all enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving both two leggeds and four leggeds. Good luck on the novel. Your winged friends are well fed and happy campers I can see. They’ll be around for winter 🙂 Best to you and yours and peace within to all…. VK
LikeLike
Thank you, VK, and may the lovely mix of the peace and joy you offer others reside in your own heart and home this holiday season. 🙂
LikeLike
Beautiful, Kitty, simply beautiful. A visual song 🙂 Have a blessed Thanksgiving and enjoy your “offline” time.
LikeLike
Thank you, Lynn, and blessings on your gatherings and partings as well: may they be sweet and restorative, deep and pleasing to your heart.
LikeLike
What beautiful pictures of birds in all their diversity. I love to see species I’m unfamiliar with…..I looked at your winged friends three times! A real treat!
Have a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving with your friends, family and creatures. I hope your new wee kitty is settling in.
Good luck finishing your novel. I shall look forward to reading it.xxxxx
LikeLike
Thank you, Snowbird! Fergus is quite a little prince. He seems to enjoy his suite, but I can hear his little cries when the rest of us are gathered above. He receives longer and longer one-on-one time and we’re all looking forward to the time after Thanksgiving when his medicines have run their course and he can start socializing with the other 4-leggeds…
I so appreciate your visits and wishes for a happy holiday: Hope this lovely, long season of merriment is blessed for you, too…
LikeLike
Happy Thanksgiving at Full Moon Cottage Catherine! I love your little feathered guests especially Peevish 😀 Send my love to all at home. Wonderful and warm moments to cherish. I can’t wait to read your novel!! May it be your best work yet! Blessings and beauty surround you as you work. I will be back to catch up on some of your previous posts which I had been meaning to come and settle down quietly for a good long read. As always bliss to be here. Hugs, Sharon
LikeLike
Sweet Sharon, thank you for your visits and kind words…the gentleness of your spirit seems always carried on a lovely wind and straight to my heart…you are authentically gifted and gift…thank you. We had a blessed Thanksgiving and the sweetness lingers, the voices echo and the need for stillness to hold it all to my heart a while before releasing the blessings calls to me today…Peace to you, Catherine
LikeLike
What a delightful post! I adore all the antics at my bird feeders, and you’ve not only captured the images wonderfully but the captions are funny and perfect. Thank you for this uplifting post and best of luck with your novel! Cheers 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you so much; I appreciate your visit, time, and kind words…You are so right about the birds’ captivating antics: it takes longer to write a novel with their feeders placed right outside the window from my desk, but I tell myself they provide holy inspiration! 🙂
LikeLike
¸.•*¨*•.♪♫♫♪Have an inspired, grace filled week! .♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸ ♥
˜”*°•.˜”*°•.˜”*°•.★★.•°*”˜.•°*”˜.•°*”˜” 🙂
Eliz
LikeLike
How lovely; thank you!
LikeLike
Just lovely Catherine! I’m going to share this with nature-loving Mark and Andy, my friends through my garden. Mark just lost his mom. I’m sure they will both enjoy it. – Kaye
LikeLike
Thank you, Kaye; lovely to receive your visit and comments, and I send gentle peace to Mark. Joy to your day!
LikeLike
I greatly enjoyed this, Catherine- well-done!
LikeLike
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you visited and took the time to share kind words!
LikeLike