Thanksliving

The nursery was quiet and still. No sounds echoed in the darkened corridors of the Home. A place that was normally teeming with the activities and shouts of dozens of children now seemed unnatural in its peace and calm. It was Thanksgiving Day and all of the children had been taken to various places for the holiday meal. Some to volunteer families' homes, some to homes of the employees of the Home, and others to a local church's dinner. Everyone had been given a chance to experience the expressions of thanksgiving and love, everyone except one.

Far down the hallway in the last room on the right, an enclosed bed sat tucked away in the corner, its occupant seemingly forgotten. No noise came from the bed apart from an occasional grunt and a shifting sound. After a time, the sound of heels striking against the hardwood floor of the hallway approached the room, breaking the heavy silence. Two aides came into the room and crossed to the bed. "Hey Buddy," crooned the shorter of the two, "How are you?" She stroked the rigid hand clenched tightly against the chest. Vacant eyes stared up at the women. "His meds are due in about 10 minutes or so," said the other aide, looking at a log chart. "Do you really want to stay here the whole time with him Dani? We could just give him his medicine and then go eat those Turkey day dinners they donated to the Home. We can watch him in the monitors and hanging out in the common room wouldn't be so bad." "No thanks Anna. You go on home to your family. I don't mind staying here with him until the other kids get back." replied Dani, reaching out to cover the spastic legs with a fleece blanket. "O.K. Call if you need anything." The echo of Anna's footsteps gradually receded down the hall, leaving Dani alone with her charge. She lowered the metal railing and bent over the stiff figure that was rocking slightly. "Come on Anto, let's get you some Thanksgiving dinner."

Twenty minutes later, Dani had completed the arduous task of wrestling the rigid boy into a eating chair, strapping down his flailing extremities, and securing a bib of twice the normal size around his neck. "Alright mister, here's your very own turkey, dressing, and mashed potatoes with gravy, pureed to especial perfection." Dani inserted the first bite of the gooey mixture into the gaping mouth and waited for Anto to register that something was actually in there. Presently, the gumming and grinding began and Dani patiently began the long process of feeding Anto. Again she put more food into his mouth and again most of it fell out or was spit out, only to be scooped up and put back yet again. At last, the pains-taking ordeal was done and after the equally challenging job of changing the boy's diaper, Dani settled into a rocker with Anto who seemed like a over-sized baby with his long thin legs and big round head. As she rocked, Anto doubled up his legs and began to giggle softly. "Poor sweet boy," murmured Dani against his head. "They all thought you'd just be too much trouble for anyone to deal with...that their meal would be too disrupted by your neediness." A tear slid down Dani's cheek as she hugged the little boy tighter. "But they just don't know how much they are missing. The blessings that they could have received and been thankful for. The ones that I am thankful for." Dani rubbed Anto's back. "On this Thanksgiving Day Anto, I want to say thank you for being the miracle that you are. For showing me that there is so much more to life than the normal parameters allow. I know you will never be able to express any gratitude or love so here's mine for you." She bent down to lay place a kiss on Anto's cheek as he rocked himself in her lap, grunting and making other odd noises. Dani continued to rock even after Anto fell asleep and even as the sounds of returning people began to filter into the room. Finally, as the shadows lengthened across the room, the rocker slowed to a stop. Laying her cheek against Anto's, whispered words fell from Dani's lips.

"Thanksgiving is a time of cheer
To celebrate the warmth
Of family so near
But not for you.

It's a time of plenty
Where food, love, and laughter
Are shared by many
But not for you.

Thanks is given for much
And many prayers are said
For blessings and such
But not for you.

But in the heavens above
The mighty angels sing songs
Of pure joy and love
And it's all for you."

Dani rose and lifted Anto back into his railed bed. Tenderly covering him with his blankets, she bent down, put her lips against his ear and spoke three more words; "Happy Thanksgiving Anto."

Many of us have fond memories of Thanksgiving Day; I know I do anyway. The family, friends, fellowship, and of course, the food! This past Sunday I participated in a church Thanksgiving meal and was privileged to lead the congregation in singing "For the Beauty of the Earth". In one of the verses, it talks about the joy of human love "brother, sister, parent, child". As I was getting ready to go up and play, I started thinking about all those who don't know the joy of human love or have no family to be thankful for. I know I have been feeling a few pangs of loneliness because I am not able to be with the ones I love this Thanksgiving, but imagine if you had no one to miss and no one to miss you. I pondered over the unfairness-why it is that so many have this fate, particularly those who are less lovable. The boy in the story is just fiction but the reality is real; we pass over those who are unable to express love and gratitude more easily because it seems like a waste to expend emotion on them and because we believe they won't miss it anyways. But justification of neglect always falls flat. It got me thinking; what if families focused outward instead of inward at Thanksgiving? What if they opened up their circles to include the fatherless, the neglected, the handicapped? Isn't that the point of thanksgiving anyways? To give thanks, not just in word but in deed. By letting our gratitude for our blessings spill out and into the lives of others. Anto had someone who was like that for him, but what of all the others? The mentally and physically handicapped orphans of Eastern Europe who lay tied to their beds for days, months, years. The starving orphans of North Korea, their swollen bellies never having known a real meal. The special needs children languishing in hospitals and hospices of affluent North America because no one wants to shoulder the burden of their care. The kids in the projects of North Tulsa whose lives are filled with violence and broken homes. Who will be the ones to pour themselves out for the least of these?

So, my prayer for all of you, my family and friends, is that this would be an action oriented Thanksgiving. Let's not just give thanks on Thanksgiving, let's LIVE thanks.