I am up in Jacksonville Beach visiting some of my dearest friends in the world for the Thanksgiving holiday.  Their home backs up to a beautiful marsh and I am sitting here, having a little coffee as the sun comes up illuminating the marsh.  Sunlight falls on the tall reeds of grass as they move back and forth with the slightest of breezes.

White Adirondack chairs, a hammock in perfect stillness hanging from towering Australian pines create a true postcard view.  Everything about the view out the back says peace.  It’s God’s poetry at its finest.

In the background is a collection of classic folk songs playing…the perfect soundtrack to this moment in time.  A song just came on that I am not familiar with…but I love.  It’s Harry Nilsson’s “Everybody’s Talking At Me.”

Everybody’s talking at me.
I don’t hear a word they’re saying,
Only the echoes of my mind.

People stopping staring,
I can’t see their faces,
Only the shadows of their eyes.

These lyrics grabbed me because for me, the holidays are a time that provide that often needed nudge to reconnect with people.  Granted, I do my best to do this every day, but we all need reminders, support, mentors, partners and yes…songs, to bring us back to what this game is all about.

People.

It’s really all about people…and more specifically it’s all about connecting with people.

I mean really connecting.

“Everybody’s talking at me, I don’t hear a word they’re saying.”

This line unfortunately describes such a large number of people’s daily lives.  Our attention gets diverted by TV, pop-up ads, work, drama, world crisis, mindless entertainment…all the noise that we have created in our worlds.

It can be deafening.

And we miss what PEOPLE are saying.

Connection.

Honest, authentic, deep, unconditional, engaging, powerful, spiritual, meaningful connection.

There is nothing like it.

This is why we make money.

We make money so we have the time to do what?

To be able connect with ourselves and others without the restriction of time or limits on our options.

This is why we volunteer our time.

This is why we have children.

This is why we build friendships.

This is why we search for that someone special.

This is why recognition and genuine appreciation means so much to us…we feel connected.

This is why those magical moments in our lives where we really feel connected to ourselves, our purpose, other people and the world we live in are burned undeniably in our hearts and minds forever.

The experience of true connection is absolutely beautiful.

This is my wish for all of us throughout the holidays and for the coming year.

Be conscious about creating authentic connection in your world.

People are fascinating, truly.  Everyone has a story worth hearing.  Everyone has a story worth telling.

Dive in past the safety of surface level platitudes and seek to really get to know people.

Get real with people and stop being so damn afraid.  (Don’t try to bs me and tell me you aren’t afraid…I don’t buy it.)

Connection.

This is the good stuff in life.

Start now.

Laugh so hard this holiday that you let the divine in.

Create some real connection.

Then choose to nurture it.

On this glorious Thanksgiving day 2010, I am grateful for each of you reading this whether I have met you or not.  Your choice to allow me and my thoughts into your world is such a gift to me.

I am grateful for all of the authentic connections (past, present and future) I have been blessed with – family, friends, teammates, partners, customers, lovers, and experiences.

Each of you have enriched my life beyond measure.  I only hope that in some small way, I can contribute to your world in as meaningful a way as you have mine.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Stay Connected.

With love & laughter,

Keith

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Most people in the U.S celebrate Thanksgiving with massive amounts of heavy, trytophan-laden coma inducing foods.  It’s all good though…if it takes comfort foods to bring families together, I am all for it.

Instead of the normal turkey sandwiches and such that are a common use of the leftovers, here is a great little recipe I created for the most amazing Thanksgiving smoothie.

Use your Vita-Mix or high powered blender.

Ingredients

• Ice
• 1 cup raw almonds
• 2 tablespoons (a nice hunk) of organic peanut butter
• 2 scoops milled flax (optional)
• 1 organic banana
• 1 cup cranberries (they must be cooked, the whole ones are best)
• 1/2 cup wild organic blueberries
• Almond milk – enough to make smooth

Add all the ingredients and about a cup of almond milk to start.  Begin mixing.  As the ingredients start to blend, add more almond milk under the smoothie is to your desire consistency.

Enjoy.

What are your favorite HEALTHY Thanksgiving options?  Go make this smoothie right now and let me know what you think.  It’s off the charts yummy.