Thanksgiving Misgivings

“It is always a danger

To aspirants on the Path

When they begin
To believe and act

As if the ten thousand idiots
Who so long ruled and lived inside

Have all packed their bags
And skipped town
Or
Died.”

~Hafiz

I HATE THANKSGIVING. Hate it.

I've had a few decent dinners, but the memory of those are eclipsed by tense family gatherings, personal crises, and the year that I had to listen to a drunk blonde acquaintance try to tell the traditional history to guests from France. (Think Drunk History, but less funny and more racist.)

I subscribe to the SoulCollage(R) practice of honoring them all, all ten thousand of Hafiz's idiots. I have found if I make a card for a fear or an undesirable nagging bit of history or personality, that it gives it less power over my immediate psyche.

It's the principle of the Devil in the Christmas Tree. The inventors of modern Christmas, those clever Germans, stuffed the tree with pickles and other auspicious symbols. If you hang an ornament honoring the Devil (or Krampus, the original Christmas killjoy) he won't bother you. Give the devil a place to be and he won't wreck your party. (It helps to offer him schnapps, too.)

I make negative cards in the same way.

So this card is for all the wrecked parties:

I am One Who has had it with empty holiday gatherings.

I love the hysterical woman. I've had her image in my stash since I started making cards in 2007.

Frequently I will make a positive card in the same sitting. This one is for a message I once recieved from the Blessed Mother about teaching: "If you set the table, I will feed them."