Giving Thanks in 2025
Keeping it Real for the Holiday
My Thanksgiving began at 3:44 AM. Not because there were things to prepare for dinner, etc. but because one of my dogs needed desperately to go outside. I got out of our cozy, warm bed, slipped my jeans and shoes on and out we went into the 28-degree morning.
I was thankful. Not because I wanted to be out there, but because the alternative to letting her out wasn't pleasant for any of us. Both dogs will insist on going out, and I prefer to go out with them to deal with stray dogs, cats, and vagrants.
We came back in and I stripped off my jeans and crawled back into bed. Pam slept through it and I was thankful, because she needs her rest. I was also thankful that our girls (the two 50-pound dogs) were situated again in their respective places between us on the bed.
I was, and am, thankful for that, because although it limits the space on the bed, it also keeps us all warm and cozy. (Don't judge. I was raised in a dog training family and I know having them on the bed is taboo. I think that's part of the reason I allow it.)
I got back to sleep relatively quickly. At 5:30 AM, I woke up coughing and rolled out of bed, spending the next 30 minutes in the bathroom, hacking up mucus and blowing my nose. (Sorry for the visual.)
Guess what? That's right – I was thankful. Why? Because I have had a nasty case of sinusitis/bronchitis from a bug that's going around for about 4 days. Coughing the stuff up keeps the mucus out of my lungs, and when it doesn't clear out, I don't get enough oxygen when I breathe. So, I spent that 30 minutes trying to be as quiet as possible and rode out the coughing spell with a positive attitude.
After things cleared up, I went back to the bedroom and eased my way into bed again as quietly as possible. The dogs wagged, but Pam didn't stir. Something else to be thankful about.
When the alarm went off at 6:45, I thankfully turned it off, got up, got dressed and headed into the kitchen. I got the coffee brewing. Dishes needed done and I had Thanksgiving breakfast to prepare. We'd opted out of my oldest brother's plan to go to an all-you-can-eat dinner buffet at The Big Texan. (Yeah, it's right here in Amarillo – free 72-ounce steak challenge and all.)
I was thankful that Pam had agreed with me that didn't really fit the bill for a family Thanksgiving. Besides, I'm still coughing and hacking and don't really want to be doing it in a public restaurant, much less over the buffet table.
So, all in all, I think I started the holiday with the right attitude. I've rolled with a few more punches over the course of the day, and I believe I've done Thanksgiving justice.
In keeping with that frame of mind, I headed over to Vocal, checked out some stories, and took a look at the reads and comments on my last few. I've been a bit concerned about the lack of engagement on my stories lately. From double-digit responses on the first day, the totals have slipped to 8 to 10 and that trend started before the Holiday Season.
Now, I'm not here to complain that my fellow creators and regular readers have let me down. I'm aware that the exact opposite is at fault, and took a stroll through my older and newer Vocal stories. I haven't been putting any less effort into my writing, but I seem to see a subtle change in tone and delivery. I have some ideas as to the underlying causes, but I'm not going into an analysis here.
What I am going to do is refocus. I'm not here for awards or money. I have other writing outlets for that, and I do pretty well with them. I joined Vocal all those year ago because I love to write and it gave me the opportunity to show it. I'll be getting back to my roots here in that respect. Hopefully, the result will be a positive effect on the numbers. Either way, I'm left with more to be thankful for today.
I'm grateful as always, for my friends and fellow creators who read my stuff and comment regularly. You are the reason I'm still here. I'm also thankful that you and/or others gave me a sign that it was time to take a good look at my work. Thanks to that, I'll be trying to reignite that old spark and see if it shows.
Happy Thanksgiving, my friends!
About the Creator
Dana Crandell
Dad, Stepdad, Grandpa, Husband, lover of Nature and dogs.
Poet, Writer, Editor, Photographer, Artist and Tech/Internet nerd.
My first published poetry collection: Life, Love & Ludicrosity
Keep reading
More stories from Dana Crandell and writers in Humans and other communities.
It's Beautiful Here
She's out there, somewhere. I tell myself I had no choice, but the remorse is too hard to bear. Perhaps it wouldn't have been as catastrophic as I thought. Maybe there was another way to avoid being found out. Though my mind reels and my heart aches, I know there was no alternative.
By Dana Crandell2 months ago in Humans
Awakened Person Truths People Feel but Avoid Saying
There is a quiet discomfort many people feel around awakened individuals—one that is rarely spoken aloud. It isn’t hatred or envy in the usual sense; it’s something more subtle. Awakened people tend to surface truths others already feel deep inside but are not ready to face. These truths linger beneath conversations, relationships, and social norms, sensed but avoided. Awakening doesn’t make someone special—it makes them clear. And clarity can be unsettling.
By Wilson Igbasi7 days ago in Humans
Comments (26)
Goodness! I hope your cough is much better now, and you've had some time to recover, snuggling up with the dogs!! I often think gratefulness is more of a state of mind than an event in response to something (like a gift for example). Well done!
Right. We dont do thanksgiving here, but we are having a tough time as a family currently. TOmorrow, I will attempt this attitude. THanks for the inspiration.
Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
This gave me reason to smile, Dana!! Belated congrats on Top Story!!
Congratulations on TS, Dana and glad you DID have a nice Thanksgiving. I think life is distracting all of us and so many stories are published by the minute…. Pat your dogs for me and stay warm.
Hi Dana! Haven't seen you in a long while, so apologies. No judging about who sleeps in your bed from here. On one side of me is Boss, the pit bull, the other side is Shadow, male black cat, and at my feet is Missy, my tabby girl. I always stay warm and cozy even though turning is a trick. I just got over a 2 week lingering respiratory crud...Guaffesin finally got it fixed. Glad you enjoyed your Thanksgiving. I also have noticed a "missing" of friends on here. I wrote about that recently, too.
Dana, I really appreciate this wonderfully candid and positive look at what 'giving thanks' actually looks like on a real holiday! Turning those early morning coughs and cold feet into moments of gratitude shows you have the right kind of spark. Congratulations on your Top Story!
This was such a grounding and beautifully honest piece. The way you found gratitude in the smallest, most chaotic moments, coughing at 5:30 AM, dogs sharing the bed, sudden wake-ups, felt so real and relatable. It’s a reminder that gratitude isn’t about perfection, it’s about presence. Annie from the SoftlyWished team
amazing you have expressed emotion the heart
We deeply appreciate you. And good on you for being thankful for the small stuff!
You will always be appreciated, know that. Also there’s two types of people: people that let their dogs on the bed and people I choose not to associate with.
Happy Thanksgiving, Dana, and hope the cough's better! Say hi to your girls for me and congrats on the Top Story too!!
Back to say congratulations on your Top Story! 🎉💖🎊🎉💖🎊
Dogs in bed a taboo? Bah. Humbug. I rebuke such things This was a wonderful look at how one lives with gratitude! I’ve always struggled with the concept because no one’s explained it to me in a way doesn’t stray into spirituality. Thank you for sharing this lovely message for American thanksgiving! (Happy Thursday in November btw 😇 🇨🇦) I’ve taken some money from vocal, but I agree that it’s mostly a place to just enjoy the act of writing :) that’s how I use it at least Congrats on top story!
Such a heartfelt thank you. It feels genuine and true and I have come to expect no less from you. Reads are down all across except for the rare few who manage to keep their numbers up. I went for reads of forty or more to 'hey' double digits are good to see. Forty is no longer the norm and that is ok, because i too have come to the realization i am here to improve and to also read some wonderful works of others. (It is how I learn). I have always enjoyed and admired your work Dana, you are a talent that is a bright light on Vocal. Every day deserves to be a "Thankful day"
Thanks, @Vocal!
Your commitment to gratitude, even through coughing fits and long nights is inspiring. This was such a refreshing read for the holiday.
I enjoyed hearing about all the things you've found to be thankful for, except one. You revived a memory of being stuck in the hotel next to The Big Tex for a weekend for work. The restaurant food is good, but the hotel was straight out of the 1950s. I'm also glad it's not just me who is experiencing a decline in readership. Anyway, I hope you had a great Thanksgiving, and congrats on your Top Story.
Happy Thanksgiving Dana to you and yours! Have a good weekend!
Happy Thanksgiving, Dana! We sleep with our doggo too :) Some wonderful reminders here on things to be thankful for. Thank you for sharing!
Well, happy Thanksgiving and hope things get even better for you.
Happy Thanksgiving. Hope you're on the mend. There are a lot of writers ruminating about their writing on Vocal at the moment. I look forward to more from yourself.
Happy Thanksgiving, Dana! I love dogs and also don't mind them sleeping with me. The 3:44 wakeup call, though, is rough. It happens and we have to deal. The alternative of shampooing carpets is worse, lol. Engagement is down all around. I try and read a few a day, sometimes more sometimes less. But like you said, people get busy and simply can't keep up. Happy holidays, my friend. Hope you feel better soon.
Oh I'm so sorry to hear that. Hope you get well soon. Wishing you and Pam a veryyyyy Happy Thanksgiving! ✨️❤️
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Pam! I hope you feel better soon :) And I appreciate your positive attitude. Thank you for sharing your life and your thoughts.