Here at Carteret Writers, we love words strung together in all their configurations year round, but we do like to focus on certain themes corresponding to the season: ghost stories in the fall, love stories in February, and poetry in April when it’s National Poetry Month. During the months of November and December we turn our thoughts and perhaps our writing to gratitude and generosity. We strive not to make it a disingenuous nod but rather an opportunity to all think collectively about something and share a common creative theme. The accountability and camaraderie of a group working with a common inspiration can help channel the creativity of its individuals, though we always welcome those nonconformists who will write whatever they feel moved to write, themes be damned.

In her latest post on her blog A Chick’s View, CW Vice President Emily Carter examines how gratitude can be overdone, especially this time of year. From throw pillows and candles declaring your gratefulness, to advertisements pulling on heartstrings, being thankful is everywhere – much as hearts and prayers are after disasters. Seeing the words without the meaningful intent behind them can be a little like when you see a holiday lights display in the sunshine – the bones of a beautiful display are there, but without the illumination of the lights against a night sky it’s just tacky looking wires and bulbs.

But these pauses at certain times of the year to focus on different things do let us bring light into corners not regularly seen – like making someone feel special on their birthday, or celebrating the amount of time we’ve spent together or have held fast to a resolution on an anniversary. Every month seems to have some sort of named focus, whether it’s a certain illness, or the histories of marginalized groups, or a safety message. These designated times for celebrating and acknowledging things are useful to strengthen relationships, promote research fundraising, or highlight important messages, and I’m sure we wouldn’t say that they are unnecessary public acknowledgements. It is when it tips to platitude that it starts feeling icky.

I think it comes of the sound byte style in which a lot of public facing communication is made today. We’ve gone from taking the time to write out, print and distribute leaflets to inform people of important social issues, to impetuously sending messages of limited characters and scrolling through an overabundance of click inducing headlines. Add in the one word signs on front porches and double walled coffee mugs with witty sayings and it all seems to be words without intention. Or words with the sole intention of gathering attention.

So instead of wandering on the winds of the gratitude messaging filling the air with its cloyingly perfumed breezes, let’s turn our ship toward the people and things close by that bring us joy: connecting with neighbors, sharing with those you care about, and supporting the groups that value you as a member.

For this month, when the holiday is called Thanksgiving, I will spend some time writing about the gratitude I have for certain things. I will offer up my thanks for this writing group, its creativity and support, and all that being a part of it has taught me. It has been an important part of my writing life for the last two years and I appreciate the camaraderie of the group and the diverse writers found here.