Wednesday Wisdom: Early Thanksgiving Thoughts

Tuesday Thoughts, Thanksgiving Message, Wednesday Wisdom

Sitting in the deep woods with my husband with frosted leaves, deep earth smells, tall stark trees, at 5:30 a.m. on opening deer hunting day, reminded me of the American pilgrims and my male ancestors. The tradition of hunting deer to early settlers was serious business, often of almost life-and-death importance.  Hunting played an important role and development of our country which would not have advanced as rapidly as it did without the aid of meat and skins it supplied. My father and grandfather looked forward to hunting season every year.

One early autumn day after my husband voiced his disappointment not having anyone to hunt with on opening day, I decided to surprise him by taking a long online hunting safety course to get my license. The intensive course compiled ten long chapters, chapter quizzes, and a 100-question final exam. It took about a month for me to complete fitting it into all my female-focused business work. I figured if anything good came of these lessons, at least the part of my brain that never thought about guns, animal anatomy, or ammunition was being awakened with knowledge. It helped one of the online instructors was a woman.

Once I passed the course and told my husband, he took me to a shooting range where I must admit, I hit a bullseye my first-time shooting. With my cool gun glasses on, blaze orange attire, and sharp shooting skills, I was ready to go on this “buck”et list adventure. Having watched two women survive and almost win a million dollars surviving in the artic circle a month prior on television, and with hunter’s genes in my DNA, I embraced the experience.

What I can tell you is after sitting as still as possible so you don’t alert the pry, you start contemplating the way of life this was for those early American adventurers who had to forge, fight, and hunt to survive in a new country. Without a switch to turn on heat, running water to quench their thirst, or a grocery story with processed food, you soon realize how blessed our generation has it. I’m not sure how we complain as much as we do about what we don’t have, when we have all we need at our fingertips.

Although hunting will never be what I want to do, the experience made me more aware of modern day advances, the importance of a healthy environment for animals and humans, the beauty of nature, and the abundance we each have compared to our ancestors. I hope today’s post inspires you to witness the plain, simple gifts in front and around you and be truly thankful for them.

I am full of gratitude every week when someone reads my inspirational and business writings, allowing me into their lives in some small way, hoping it makes a positive difference. I wish you a blessed and happy Thanksgiving.