with everyone doing the 30 days of thanks thingy on Facebook, I see many a friends getting downright deep up in this piece. One Mrs. A.B. Thomas over here? NOT so much. Are you judging me yet? Do I seem like an ungrateful little stinker? I'm not, but I don't think I should have to defend/ prove myself about that to the internet world. While I really honestly and truly do appreciate that everyone is taking a moment to recognize their gratitude and give thanks for the smaller things in life or not so small and ever so slightly generic musings as well, I feel that it's become an act of following the invisible leader or keeping with the herd. Let's not upset the flock here, people Dream big. Don't get me wrong, I am tickled positively pink that you are thankful that you found the right size drill bit after days of searching so you can hang your Magic Eye poster (true story), or that you amazingly saw a unicorn that shat butterflies today (not true story). Hell, I'd sky-write a message about THAT majestic beast of a tale myself...but let's think about WHY are we insistent upon proclaiming these things...and some quite personal, I might add, on FACEBOOK? THAT'S the proper place? Next to the picture of the 14 year old in a 6 year old's bikini, doing the duck face and talking in computer techie ebonics? Is it because you are indeed thankful you cleaned your toilet or someone in your house finally did, or is it so you assume you seem like a better person to the masses because you are recognizing it for all to see?
Let me pause with a brief, deep, and somewhat philosophical interlude (an effort, at least) here to make myself abundantly clear: I love the act of giving thanks when it's heartfelt, when it's true, and when it's due...there is absolutely NOTHING better and NOTHING MORE MEANINGFUL. And it must be done. Often. WITHOUT QUESTION. We are a very blessed society and most of us are very fortunate in more ways than we can count or are deserving of. I know I am. I understand that, acknowledge that, and appreciate that.
But back to the reason for my ramblings...
I am just not sure that a 30 days of thanks on Facebook is all that necessary. I mean, is it? I believe that if you are utterly grateful, then you are giving thanks where thanks are due. Please know that you don't need to show me on your Facebook status of all places that you're thankful for things for me to think you're a good person and that's you're thankful; I know you are and I already think you're lovely...or intriguing at the very least, it's why I accepted your friend request. But I mean, it's like many a persons are terrified someone (whomever the grand juror may be) will at one moment proclaim them ungrateful and smite them in a fit of fire burning guilt if they're not aboard the "days of thanks" train, or judge them and spread that rumor in this constant game of telephone that we call life. Ya know, it's really kind of exactly like those pictures that say, 'LIKE' if you love Jesus, or keep scrolling if you don't and you love the devil. Or the chain letters about the girl who died because she did not forward the chain email to 10 people in 10 minutes. I mean seriously? Some little twerp tells me that I am a horn sportin', devil lover on the highway to hell because I didn't like a picture of I don't know, a piece of cauliflower that somehow resembles the son of God? Well geez, I must be quite the sinner because I'm scrolling all up, down, and around that shit to avoid it. I don't need to be bullied into thinking I'm a good or bad person, thank you. On that note, it STILL baffles me how these particular pictures have roughly 2304897.203947 likes, but then that's about how many people are doing the whole bandwagon thing and jumping aboard the proclamations of thanks.
Getting serious again...
Please DO NOT be mistaken here. It is most definitely NOT the act of giving thanks that I am against. I have been blessed in many ways and not that I have to justify it or prove it to you, but give thanks multiple times on a daily basis to the maker of those things to be thankful for; I am just not sure how I feel about everyone jumping on this FB status bandwagon thing. I did not realize we all are so quick to jump aboard things others are doing. Not that it's a bad thing that many are jumping aboard, but it's just a question as to why? And to whom? And on FB? Now, you may be saying to yourself, "Well Abby, you did a thanksgiving thankful post last year?" as you should be. Well, yes I did and you can read it HERE...and I will be doing one again this year too...in fact, Jack Thomas has some things he'd like everyone to know he's thankful for as well and hopes you'll be looking forward to reading them soon. But this is MY family's blog that I keep for MY family and for my lovely devoted readers. I am not doing it in hopes that I'm proving that I'm not a bad person...far from it actually and I hope that's not your reason for your "days of thanks" FB status thing.
Sadly, I feel...or I've heard a few folks around me say that that is the reason they are doing it...because so many other people are and they don't want someone to think they're ungrateful. EEK. Fear of judgement? Ick...no way to go through life! I am no prophet by any means, nor am I perfect or upon any high horse... I am almost welcoming judgement here...ha! Whoops. Just know that this blog serves as our chronicles of life and our open journal/ diary. It is here that I can jump back to for years to come and reflect and relive great memories that I am happy to share with not only my family but others as well. I don't need a new trend on FB to have me give things that I'm thankful for and while I love how thankful so many of my lovelies are, I think you're even better than a FB trend! I was just theorizing as to WHY people might be doing the whole days of thanks thing ON FACEBOOK. I am NOT here to judge about it and I hope it's not coming off that I am. I'm sure it does. I was just taken aback by the comments I heard and then the constant updates I keep seeing. Many a wonderful folk in my life are probably doing it with gold paved intentions and for all the right reasons and for that, I applaud you and commend you, you are truly a beautiful person. But for those who are doing it for fear of judgement from someone, well, I am thankful you've read this far...hopefully, I've mustered up a something within ya. Or maybe you're just pissed. Either way, I'm thankful for you. Yessir.
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