The contents of the box of Thanksgiving decorations were spread out on the table ready to take their place on windows and ledges. Amidst the autumn-colored leaves and cornucopias was an array of children's crafts that had been added to the collection year-by-year. In their very best printing our daughters would often list the things they were thankful for; family, friends, food, toys, puppies...
Those things make my list too, yet today I am especially mindful of the most ordinary looking of objects. I am thankful for the set of keys that always seem to be at the bottom of my purse when I am searching the counters, and always on the counter when I am digging at the bottom of my purse. Those keys are more than metal objects dangling from a ring; they are the portals to a life I am fortunate to live. Yes, they represent a mortgage, car repairs, work challenges and bills to be paid--but if that's all I see I am missing out on the wonder of what these keys open.
The most important key on the ring provides entry into the place I call home...a place where a marriage has been nurtured, children have been raised, and friends have been welcomed. Step within the front door and there are the reminders of the meals that have been shared, events that have been celebrated, tears that have been shed, struggles that have been overcome, and unexpected surprises that have come our way.
The next one starts my car and this key has ignited the transportation that has taken me to oceans and oak groves, mountains and monuments, campuses and camping trips, work and play. The key has provided the means for the familiar activities that I need to undertake each day along with unique adventures I have been fortunate to experience.
Keys that unlock office doors have given me a chance to earn a living, share my ideas, expand my knowledge, take on challenges, work alongside great people, and be inspired. The key signifies being entrusted with responsibilities and being accountable to people who are depending on me to complete my tasks. Some days have seemed repetitive or less than meaningful and it is easy to question whether or not another key to another office door would be more fulfilling. Other days there is a sense of contentment knowing this is just the right door to be entering right now. That key has changed over the years as new opportunities have presented themselves.
Often these changes mean moving to new places. Promises are made to stay connected to the people we knew in each location, of course. Texts, emails or e-cards are quickly written, efficiently sent and always appreciated. There is something rather special though about unlocking the mailbox--the next key on the ring--and finding a card or letter waiting to be read. There are other things sitting in that mailbox that should give us pause--flyers that remind us we live in a country where our stores have fully stocked shelves, business solicitations made possible because of the kind of economy we can participate in, magazines that operate under freedom of expression protection, and community newspapers that are a tie to where we come from and a window into where we are going.
There are other keys of course; some used occasionally; some whose purpose I can't seem to place any longer. Each one represented or continues to represent another piece of my life that has provided much to be thankful for.
I shouldn't need decorations on the windows or markings on a calendar to enter into a spirit of thanksgiving, or to be reminded of what was, what is, and what will be. Long after the cornucopias are packed away and the festive meal has been consumed, the importance of giving thanks is an attitude that must continue. Perhaps the keys can be one way of doing this: keys that have opened the doors to experiences as an adventurer, spouse, mother, student, employee, vacationer, and even a shopper. Thanksgiving is not a day. The key is to remember it needs to be a way of life. That's my outlook.
