Participate in Harvest
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Dear Unity Friends,

The other day, as I sat on my prayer couch, I looked out the window and beheld a beautiful site.  A young, female red-tailed hawk sat perched on the fence in my back yard.  Now know that Rick and I live in a sub-division of homes, and though it is common to see hawks fly through the neighborhood, we have never had one pay us a personal visit.   This was a first.  Here she sat, such a beauty.  The wind ruffling the cream feathers of her breast, her head constantly moving, always aware of what was happening in her environment.  And then, suddenly, she disappeared behind the fence, into my neighbor's yard.  It wasn't long until she returned to her perch atop the fence, this time with her breakfast in her talons.

The beauty of nature in action continues to marvel me.  There, in the comfort of my prayer room, I gave thanks for the mouse that gave its life to be this bird's meal.  I am sure that in its own way, the young hawk gave her gratitude, for catching this mouse meant she would not be hungry that day.

In this country, most of us have little opportunity to know the real pain of hunger.  We live in a truly abundant society.  We may not have everything that we want, but we have everything that we need.

To grow in our gratitude, let us "participate in harvest."  Today, we don't have to go out and "harvest" our food or hunt it like the hawk.  We simply go to the grocery store, and there it is.   To "participate in harvest," we stop to consider where our food comes from, who were the hands that planted it, tended it, picked it, shipped it, and set it out for us in a warm, safe, comfortable store.  The banana on our cereal comes from New Zealand or South America.  Much of our produce is grown in Mexico.  Kiwi comes from Australia and cranberries from Massachusetts. In many ways, the food on our table each week is of international fare.

This Thanksgiving season, I invite you to ponder all the people, families, and countries that participate in your holiday feast.  Then you may notice that your Thanksgiving has a deeper meaning, a broader perspective, and a richer experience for we are truly all interconnected.

I give thanks for you!

Robin