Tradition

I'm so grateful I'm feeling well enough to prepare and cook most of this Thanksgiving dinner.  Even though it's requiring lots of extra care because I'm not at my best, physically, it's gratifying and fun for me.  I notice there are two sides to every coin though. I saw an ad yesterday on a local restaurant for a full holiday dinner for $9.99, and $8.99 for seniors.  They offered a buffet, so there would probably be many choices.  The thoughts of an 'easy' Thanksgiving dinner were tempting.  Maybe next year?  If I just 'went out to dinner', I wouldn't have to purchase, prep, or cook anything.  All I'd have to do is sit down to- the results of what someone else had done.  Hmmm.  And no leftovers- good and bad.  And no fun of digging my own root vegetables from the Garden, no enjoyment of making food with my own special twist, no yummy smells filling the house, and..., and.... Well, maybe not.  It would just be 'going to dinner'.  Each holiday, each year, each situation, merits it's own decision.  This time, no.  Next time,... We'll see.

The thought itself is tempting though.  Because of that, I wonder where I may not be totally 'clear' about something I'm doing, or I've worked too hard and tired myself out unnessarily.  Ah hah.  There's a way I can use the very appearance of that thought to help me see what's really happening, underneath,  especially if it sounds tempting to me.  That's a good way to use that thought- to help me in getting more clear on what I'm doing in the present and the real reasons I'm doing something.

I want my actions to be from a clear, conscious place within me - not from unconsciousness, habit, or tradition.  Especially not tradition.  I've found that when tradition (which is meant to 'make meaning), is acted upon from or in unconsciousness, it makes no meaning whatsoever.  And sometimes it ends up being negative. If doing a traditional task is actually meaningful, the 'pluses' outweigh the 'minuses', and the doings are my own choice, then it's worth my effort. That makes it simple.