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View from my terrace, Thanksgiving Day 2024.

I’ve spent the past two Thanksgiving Days by myself. I’m not asking for sympathy. I chose to spend the days that way.

The T-Day ritual changed for me many years ago. Before my divorce, I was the one who hosted the Thanksgiving holiday for our combined families. Post-divorce, it became an awkward day, having to share the kids. Basically we all marinated in bad energy, no matter who was with whom.

When Joe and I got together, we solved the awkward day issue by hosting the celebration on Wednesday. That way, all four of our children (and extended family) could be with us without the stress. They were able to spend the holiday on Thursday with the other parents without any angst.

And Joe and I got to go to the beach on Thursday (we lived in Florida back then). The beach was usually fairly empty because everyone else was doing the turkey thing. I loved it.

Once we moved from Florida to North Carolina, we were free to spend the day with friends and I was absolved of cooking responsibilities. Once again, a very good alternative.

Five years ago, Joe died two weeks prior to T-day. Four years ago, my oldest brother made his transition the Saturday after the holiday. November is not my favorite month. But it is a time that gives me an opportunity to think, and reflect.

My son was born just days short of Thanksgiving. His older cousin was born two years earlier, on the day after our feast. For many years, we punctuated the holiday meal with an insane display of desserts, including an ice cream birthday cake for the two children.

Good memories.

So much of what we love (or hate) about the holidays is related to family… and how our experiences lived up to the ideal set forth in the media. The ideal was not attainable in all likelihood, yet we were conditioned to believe that holidays somehow magically converted families into Norman Rockwell paintings.

Our last Thanksgiving together in Florida, 2006. It may not be a Norman Rockwell, but the photography of Joe Gemignani is well represented!

When the day didn’t live up to the image, we either felt failure or reimagined the scenarios to fit perfection. So every year we (in the U.S.) enter the period between Thanksgiving Day and New Year’s Day with either dread or guarded optimism that the desired image of seasonal joy will emerge this year.

Holidays are simply days that commemorate something, whether it’s a national, religious, or cultural event. All the energy that surrounds that day is created by humans. That means we get to choose how we respond.

What we choose includes how we respond to the image and energy that media projects on us. Between now and the end of the year, you can expect at least one email or message per day—more likely, many—trying to sell you something you probably don’t need or want at a discount. What a bargain!

Seasonal Alternatives

I’m choosing to stop the madness. I’m choosing to get grounded in value of experience. I’m choosing to examine tradition and create a lifestyle that supports my values. Some traditions will remain, and some will fall away.

I’m not alone. Every day I see mentions in my feed of other people choosing to take time off. Not publish another newsletter until 2026. Renaming their business or how they do it. Wanting to immerse themselves in activities that support their values.

People are tired of giving all their time, attention, and money to platforms that ensnare them with promises of benefits that in truth only enrich the platform, not the users.

People are tired of lies, of abuse, of hearing excuses. Of accepting “less-than” scenarios with the promise of future benefit.

Today, many people are calling out the b.s.

But here’s the important thing. It’s not necessary to make someone or something wrong in order for you to be right. Just be/act right. Simply support what you believe in.

The rich and powerful can and will continue what they do because changing doesn’t support their bottom line. So, change is on the shoulders of those who want things to be different.

Change is contingent on doing something differently. Not complaining about it. Sitting in the energy of despair, anger, or resentment is not helpful. It simply adds to negativity.

Change means saying “no” and walking away. But walk toward what you want.

That’s what I’m choosing. To create what I want for me. I can’t operate in an environment of deceit and polarity. I need clear air, free of pollutants—both environmental and spiritual. We all do.

Luckily, I’ve been trained to clear energy.

So change is coming for The Farsighted Observer. (Did you see that coming?)

And, yes, I will be devoting all of December to creating a new environment for myself, my readers, and clients. I’ll probably send an email or two next month, but the regular weekly Friday message is taking a holiday break.

The change is not flighty or lightly conceived. It’s been brewing and I have spent much time reflecting and in meditation. I’m excited because I believe the direction I’m moving toward is for the highest good of all. It will either resonate with those of similar vibration or not make any sense at all to those of different value systems.

I appreciate my readers. My intention is always to support you and offer value for your time with me.

Thank you for sharing your journey with me. I’m sending lots of love and light your way with wishes for a smooth, enjoyable end-of-year season.

Until next time… My best, Shelley