A Reasonably Unsentimental Note of Thanks

Posted on by Jami Fairleigh
Image description: An overhead photo of a dirty coral-colored plate with a used fork and knife resting on it, suggesting a recently finished meal. To the right, the text reads ‘A Reasonably Unsentimental Note of Thanks,’ with ‘JamiFairleigh.com’ at the bottom.

For reasons I may discuss later, I’m not doing the traditional Thanksgiving thing this year. Which means I’m avoiding two holiday hazards:

  1. Forced cheer, and

  2. People asking what I’m “working on” and then regretting it immediately while I sputter about my book.

So instead, I’m keeping my gratitude list simple and blessedly free of turkey and casseroles. Still, in keeping with the spirit of the holiday, I want to say thanks for several things.

First, I’m grateful for books. Specifically, the ones that kept my brain from melting into a puddle this year. Stories that were funny, angry, weird, tender, chaotic, or all of the above. Fiction that distracted me from the world just long enough for life to become tolerable. Novels that reminded me that no matter what nonsense is happening externally, internally I can still gasp, cackle, or panic on schedule.

I’m also thankful for the writers whose work makes me say, “Really? We’re allowed to do that?” While I’m probably not going to follow suit in my stories, I will at least consider it while eating pie straight from the pan.

Image description: Cartoon of a greeting card aisle with two sections labeled ‘THANK YOU’ and ‘THANKYA VERY MUCH.’ A woman browses the ‘Thank You’ section, while an Elvis impersonator in a white jumpsuit browses the ‘Thankya Very Much’ section. The joke plays on Elvis’s signature phrase.

Thank you to the readers who show up to read these Friday posts. Even when I descend into multi-week spirals of cozy fantasy book reviews, or binge grief and loss fiction. Your presence keeps this from becoming a one-sided conversation between me and my book-hoarding instincts.

I want to give thanks for technology, specifically the autoplay function on audiobooks, which has turned “I’ll listen for ten more minutes,” into “Oh look, it’s 3 a.m. How did that happen??”

Finally, I’m grateful for quiet holidays. For choosing rest on purpose. And for not having to explain myself to anyone. The weird, wonderful freedom of a day that expects nothing from me except perhaps the willingness to eat something carb-based at an unreasonable hour.

If you’re also spending the holiday in peace, I raise my metaphorical glass to you. May your weekend be full of good books, snacks, and zero emotional responsibilities.

The header photo is a composite image. Base image by Jonathan Greenaway on Unsplash

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