Harvest Fruit Salad

When I was a child, giving thanks on Thanksgiving meant picking out the one thing I was most thankful for and then squirming in my chair as I waited for it to be my turn to announce it to the family—secretly hoping that my brothers or cousins wouldn’t say it first. Giving thanks was about giving the right answer, the one that would please Mom, Dad, and my grandparents. I’m thankful for my family. I’m thankful for our house. I’m thankful for our pets. I’m thankful for my friends at school.

In early adulthood, I’d wait my turn in the same chair, but the focus had shifted from pleasing the elders to a deeper reflection of what was truly significant in my life. Giving thanks was about putting my finger on what was most important to me, what I cared about most in the moment. I’m thankful the university accepted me. I’m thankful I got the job. I’m thankful he proposed. I’m thankful we saved enough for the down payment.

After the births of my children, I hosted the feast in my own home. My perspective further evolved—giving thanks was no longer a checklist of items organized in my mind, it was a bouquet of emotion deeply felt in my chest. I am thankful for the intense wonder, joy, awe, and love emanating from my heart as I gaze around the table at the faces of those I love.

The waves of time persist, continuing to smooth out my rough edges and pulling me toward maturity. Experiencing shattering loss, heartbreak, and a brush with mortality became resilience that spurred growth and a newfound strength. Eventually, giving thanks was no longer an activity reserved for the fourth Thursday of November. It was no longer about giving the right answer, creating a list, or even reflecting on how I was feeling one day out of the year. Instead, giving thanks has become the lens through which I experience every new day.

May you always view the world around you through the lens of gratitude—from the smallest tickle of warm sun on your face and food in your belly to the deepest delight of family, love, and legacy.

This medley of harvest-time fruits—pineapple, pears, persimmons, oranges, pomegranate, and kiwis—is always served with pumpkin pie at my house on Thanksgiving. However, it’s also wonderful served with your holiday feast or simply as a wholesome sweet treat any day during the fall and winter months when these vibrant fruits are in season.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. xoxo

Note: Feel free to modify the fruit used in this recipe. It’s always best to use fruit that is in season and grown locally. Picked from the back yard is even better!