“Cherokee people say Otsaliheliga to express their gratitude. It is a reminder to celebrate our blessings and reflect on our struggles — daily throughout the year and across the seasons,” writes Traci Sorell in her beautiful children’s book.
It’s pronounced oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah.
Meaning, We are grateful.
As I read this book to my daughters the night before Thanksgiving, I couldn’t help but think how apropos it is in these times.
As diverse as the leaves are in Autumn, so are the people of this earth.
But, the pandemic has bound us together in a way we’ve never experienced before.
We can all reflect on the myriad struggles we faced the past two years. Some of us suffered the loss of family members or friends. We lost jobs. We lost our drive. We lost the ability to be with the people closest to us.
We couldn’t travel to faraway places, meet new people, and learn new mind-expanding things about ourselves.
While some struggles will remain with us for some time, we, always retain the ability to give thanks.
Yes, Otsaliheliga.
We can still celebrate our blessings.
This year was brighter than 2020 in many ways. :)
Some of us brought new life into the world. A true blessing.
We can enjoy the many new connections in our jobs and communities.
We can rely on the indelible bond we have with our families to give us hope.
We can remember those we love and reach out to them to reinforce togetherness. And, we can take the time to celebrate the small victories we experience each day.
Oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah.
Now is the time to give thanks and sow the seeds of the future. Because, as persistently as the seasons come, we can count on growth in the Spring.
Many thanks and blessings to each one of you for all you do!
