Giving Thanks

Things for which I am extraordinarily thankful:

• A post-baby body that is a wee bit smaller than my pre-baby body.
• The chance to take a mini-vacation/anniversary trip (sans toddler) right after Thanksgiving.
• A brand new BBQ joint with a Top Chef runner-up in the kitchen, less than 1 mile from my home
• A cameo on the homepage of Magic Beans

Hold up. What happened to health and happiness? Friends and family?

I sure could use a reality check. And I got one.

Last week, a fellow mom and blogger (a “famous” blogger) Jill Smokler (aka Scary Mommy) posted about the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner and the many families who could not afford the luxury of a hot turkey dinner. She asked for 2 readers to volunteer to donate $25 to help a family in need and she vowed to match these donations. Within hours, she had 600 readers donating over $18,000 which helped provide Thanksgiving dinner for 378 families.

Scary Mommy? I think not. Sensitive, sweet, compassionate Mommy? Oh yeah.

I am proud to be counted among the 600 donors. I didn’t think twice before I donated a grocery gift card so a family in need could spend Thanksgiving just like I will – with family, friends and a great bounty of food.

It is important to recognize what we have and what we take for granted. My husband, son, and I eat a warm meal every evening. We live in a comfortable home, we have clothing, and toys, and birthday parties, and so many other little luxuries that we forget to appreciate on a daily basis.

Giving money to charity is important to us and is a value we hope to instill in our son. We think a lot about the organizations to which we donate and the impact of these funds on people and places in Boston and around the world. This Thanksgiving, I truly want to give thanks. And the most meaningful way I can show my gratitude is to be able to provide for someone else.

I applaud Scary Mommy on her ability to mobilize the blogging community, to raise funds, and to allocate them to families in need. I hope every family who is able to give will do so this Thanksgiving.

I am truly thankful for my lot in life.

Wishing you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving.