A Thanksgiving Family Feast & A Quiet Gift of Gratitude

by Dennis Augustine

Once again Kim and Al opened their home and their hearts for our Thanksgiving feast. Cecile, Jason and I arrived to find little Gus perfecting his golf swing in the backyard, with Kyle, Michelle, Lyla, Emmy, Rich and Alivia filling the house with energy, laughter, and that unmistakable Thanksgiving warmth.

Before dinner, I shared a reading from a freeform poem I wrote, “The Quiet Gift of Gratitude.” Here’s an excerpt that captures what this night means to me:

“Before we share this meal,

let us pause long enough

to truly feel the miracle of being together —

the hum of conversation,

the scent of food lovingly prepared,

the stories that bind us.

Gratitude doesn’t deny life’s challenges;

it lightens them from within,

turning a heavy load into what’s meaningful,

and what’s fleeting into what’s cherished.

So tonight we give thanks —

for the hands that cooked,