With the Thanksgiving holiday only four days away in the USA I am challenged to reflect on whether this week calls for a special message.

Thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest has been celebrated throughout history by many cultures since the ancient Greeks honored the goddesses of grain by building a leafy shelter, furnishing it with plant-based couches, fasting, then celebrating with a feast. In the USA the holiday began with a three-day feast between Pilgrims and the Algonkian Indians who were celebrating the fifth of six celebrations they held - beginning in February, when the maples produced their first sap, and concluding with their mid-winter harvest to give thanks for all the food they had grown throughout that year.

The Thanksgiving celebrations of my life always included thanks for the bounty on the table and the blessings I was encouraged to remember filled my life - even in years when there seemed to be much tragedy and loss. This year is no exception for most of us. In recent months we have been shocked into a new awareness of what we have to be thankful for.

It has been said that "A precious stone cannot be polished without friction nor humanity perfected without trials." Believing Thanksgiving can be a time for respite from friction and trials I urge everyone to keep their precious families and friends close this week, to make time to appreciate our opportunities, to commit to a higher purpose in life and, with thoughtful dignity, pledge to transform what comes your way into something of value for yourself and others.

For a review of past Thanksgiving newsletters that provide bountiful meal survival tips, visit http://www.rondagates.com, click on the Newsletter Archives icon then, for 1999 - November 22 and, for 2000 - November 20.