Thursday, July 10, 2025

The Collapse CXCV: Thanksgiving +1

 27 November 20XX+1

My Dear Lucilius:

Pompeia Paulina pointed out this morning that it was Thanksgiving Day.

I confess that such a thing had completely escaped me – November has been involved beyond measure and the calendar days have come to mean less and less, especially since there is no real time-frame anymore, other than the fact that it is Winter now and Spring will come at some point (but not soon enough).

Unlike the classic Thanksgiving Day postcards and pictures of long ago, with Pilgrims sitting under flaming Autumn foliage with the golden brown of withering grasses behind them, we are sitting under grey skies, cold to the point of not going out unless one must. We have had a new flurry of snow in the past two days and even now, the sky continues to insult us by putting out just enough snow to make it clear that this is just one more snow day.

Chores were done as quickly as possible. Given that it was, at least at one time, a public holiday, I gave myself the gift of an afternoon inside.

On a bit of a lark, I paged back to the entry from last year at Thanksgiving. It was quite a different event: The Collapse was still a relatively fresh thing and there remained in my mind some vague sense that this, too, would pass. It speaks of playing Vivaldi – ironic given the letter I had just sent you. Even as I write this, I consider playing him again – but no, the power draw would be too great, especially given the fact that it is Winter and the ability to recharge is so limited.

I showed my letter to Pompeia Paulina. She smiled when she read it, the dinner of dried fish and dried blueberries, that putting on a second piece on the fire and playing music were considered luxuries even then. I asked her what she and Stateira were doing last year.

She laughed. About the same, she replied. There was so much that was unknown at the time, they did similar things. Except, of course, have Young Xerxes over for dinner.

Should I run over and see if they want to come in, I said? I have no idea what we actually had, but surely there was enough for four.

No need, she said. She had checked in with Statiera yesterday – this was, after all, their first Thanksgiving together married and they thought they might take the day to themselves.

As, she pointed out, it was ours as well.

The Thanksgiving meal was quite similar this year to last, livened up a bit by two pieces of dark chocolate which, so far as I know, is the last of this substance West of anywhere. The drink, mint tea, was pulled from leaves dried earlier in the year. There was no music for ambiance and with the daylight fading so early, candles and the fire place had to do for lighting. The company, though, was exquisite.

Although much has changed, I still have a great deal to be thankful for. Including you, old friend.

Happiest of Thanksgivings. May we all remember that which we have had and that which we still have with gratitude, never with regret.

Your Obedient Servant, Seneca

9 comments:

  1. https://alltimeshortstories.com/i-wish-you-enough-story/

    Worth the read bit here a bit:

    “I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish enough “Hello’s” to get you through the final “Goodbye.”


    Its dusty in here, need to start the coffee.

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    1. Wow. Thanks for the recommendation, Michael - agreed, definitely worth the read.

      I do not have full experience with that, but certainly in the last years with my parents, that became something of a reality.

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  2. Nylon126:49 AM

    Small things taken for granted now become such luxuries....tea.....chocolate....electricity....even enough food to keep hunger at bay. Really enjoying this series TB!

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    1. Nylon12, it certainly puts my own life in perspective: How easily I have access to those things multiple times a day, and how little I am appreciative of them. Certainly food for my own thought.

      And thanks! This is by far the most difficult thing I have ever written (in total).

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  3. The key to surviving difficult times is to take time occasionally for thankfulness.

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    1. Leigh, how often I lose that perspective just in my day to day living, let alone during times of stress.

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  4. To me, that Thanksgiving sounds ideal when all the distractions of Black Friday, sports games on televisions, electronic distractions in our hand, etc. are removed from the equation. Just some simple food, firelight and good conversation is all I desire.

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    1. Ed, I did not think of that at all - but you are right, it is inherent in the entire letter.

      That darn Seneca. Smarter than I am.

      (And yes, the older I get the more that is the desired state.)

      Delete
  5. Anonymous12:11 PM

    How long will this collapse series continue TB? I hope it has a happy ending if it must end.
    But if you drag it out for all its worth I’ll always look forward to Thursday mornings.

    Franknbean

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