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Finding Gratitude Beyond Obligation
It’s the day before Thanksgiving, and everyone at The Leftscape wishes a happy holiday to all who celebrate! Robin Renée, Wendy Sheridan, and Mary McGinley have things to be thankful for, though they are also well aware that the holidays can be fraught with inconvenient backstories and obligation. Wendy and Mary are tired of Thanksgiving as a day that demands large amounts of cooking and/or forced gratefulness. All take a moment to acknowledge that for many Native Americans it is a National Day of Mourning. Robin recalls holiday seasons past that were painful, and talks about how a daily practice of mindfulness can help generate genuine gratitude apart from any one grand day.
Some of the 2018 midterm election results that are still rolling in on the blue wave are reasons to be thankful. Among the winners celebrated are Ruth Buffalo, Democratic member-elect for the North Dakota House of Representatives, Andy Kim in New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District, and Kyrsten Sinema who won an Arizona Senate seat. Great admiration is also in order for Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams’ continued fight for fair voting for all citizens. The Leftscape bids farewell and “Excelsior!” to Stan Lee who passed away at the age of 95. Also in the news, Indivisible has released a new guide to activism that addresses what we can do now that the House of Representatives will have a Democratic majority.
Things to celebrate: foods including banana pudding, pomegranates, sweet potato, stuffing, cookies, and “fun with fondue.” It’s also Jukebox Day, Red Mitten Day, and Tie One On Day. Birthday shout outs go to Rene Magritte, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Harold Ramis, Bjork, Dr. John, Goldie Hawn, Nicollete Sheridan, Alexander Siddig, and Brian Ritchie of Violent Femmes. In the “Why is this Awesome?” segment, Mary celebrates The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Things to do:
Read “Thankless Thanksgiving: Why Being Ungrateful is Important”
Pick up Wendy Sheridan’s Harlequin and Other Fantasies: Meditative Coloring Book for Grown-Ups:
httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MsqdiHdios
Order or download Holiday 2018 – 14 tracks by LGBT artists including Robin Renée’s “Hare Krishna Christmas.” All proceeds from Holiday 2018 go to support Quest of Life Media and Broadcast, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting LGBT songwriters and musicians.
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