I don’t know if most Brits and Europeans or indeed the rest of the world really understand the US tradition that took place yesterday called Thanksgiving, and I am sure that I cannot really articulate it either. My first Thanksgiving in 1987 was my arrival there as an emigre for various reasons. Living there Thanksgiving became part of our family celebrations too and it was a privilege to share such times with other families and have people over to our home for a special time when thankfulness for family and friends, life and much more could be a joint celebration. Yesterday, being reentering life in the UK again, gave me time to reflect on all the people that made me thankful here and around the world. My work change from being a producing craftsman selling my work to live from has changed direction a little and I chose a path that others have since adopted to follow and even emulate. I write, film, photograph and make the things I feel offer good training. The results of 20 and more years training others is showing results I never thought possible. With so many of your messages coming in every day it has caused a conflict in time management but knowing lives are being changed by the work we do is more than gratifying. I want to thank all of you for your emails and letters over the Thanksgiving week and that now come in on a daily basis. In any given day the numbers keep climbing and I don’t want them to stop because of this because every one of your stories is different. Better health, a sense of wellbeing, a new lease of life, something to wake up for, ministering to others through hand work all increase the awareness I tried to transmit in the pre-internet days. Today it’s worked and working and will continue to work I am glad that I saw the path and chose to follow its narrow walk. The gates I passed through to get to here remind me that everyone reached in the remotest climes of the world are well worth it. India, you are worth it. China, Australia, Taiwan, Denmark, Russia you are worth it.
Thanksgiving and thankfulness may not always have the same cultural roots but it always begins with seeing that people celebrate all the more when they have a heart of thanksgiving. Thank you for all you have given to me to so enrich my life. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend wherever you are!
17 Comments
Happy thanksgiving to you Paul. You’re a great teacher and I’m looking forward to your new book. Any hint on the release ETA ? Would be a great christmas gift !
You were on my list of thanks as I sat with family yesterday evening. I am very grateful for all you do. Thankyou.
Thank you Paul for sharing your knowledge!
Well, I’m thankful for you too, Paul. Your teaching us “real” woodworking has made the craft so much more enjoyable.
Belated Thanksgiving wishes to you and your’s Paul from well wishers here in Vermont.
Today, commercial shopping interests will hold their appropriately named day of crass consumerism,… ‘Black Friday’. It’s the antithesis of Thanksgiving. Many people are waking up however and changing their lives away from it to sustainability and human made quality goods. Meeting more and more younger individuals with these ideals is highly encouraging. It augurs the prospect for a saner future for all.
Keep up ‘the great work’ we are with you!
Happy thanksgiving to you too, sir.
I’m very thankful for woodworking and the time it provides for me to spend with my grandsons. The eleven year old can take a chisel and cut a better mortise than I can.
Yes, but would he have had the opportunity without his granddad?
Paul thank you for your in sites. Reading your post and watching your utube lessons has gotten to to try more hand tools and refreshing my hand skills. I watched my great grand dad years ago stop to sharpen his chisels while hang doors one piece at a time and watching you brings back those memories. Thank you. Jim from the USA.
Happy Thanksgiving to and your family and look forward to the new year. Hopefully for me I hope to have a better year health wise so i can spend more time in my shop things and working with the Grandkids.
I really appreciate alll you do and have learned so much and certainly appreciate hand tools more. Looking forward to your new book, hopefully it will be availble before Christmas, hint hint.
Steve
Thank you Paul
For making yourself available to us in your instruction, sharing your philosophy and artisan view of life and the world. I really appreciate all that you do and will do.
Thanks for you kind works, Paul, and for all the insight and explanations you provide. You’re well regarded on this side of the Pond. Any plans for a visit here? Tom.
Happy belated Thanksgiving to Paul Sellers! He wasn’t born an American, but he got here as fast as he could, as they say in Texas. 😉 I hope all of my friends I’ve met through Paul’s teachings have much to be thankful for this year, and in the next.
Paul, I am great full you chose to share your talent and time with the world. Your commitment to others has fulfilled many lives and you have made my life better and I am confident others. God bless you and yours.
And thank you Paul. Your video’s are frustrating (how does he do that!) and enjoyable (Oh, that’s how to do it).
Nothing to do with your grey hair and time in the trade of course(wink).
I only found your video’s by accident a week or two back and I must have watched (and watched again) hours and hours of them.
Instructive and useful.
I only wish you’d been my woodwork teacher in 1960!
Enjoy.
You express the true Thanksgiving Spirit with these kind words. Thank you Paul for all that you give wood workers everywhere.
Thank you Paul. Your love and passion for wood, to me , shows a true passion for the natural world and all within. Have a great thanksgiving and Christmas to you and your’s.
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Happy thanksgiving to you Paul. You’re a great teacher and I’m looking forward to your new book. Any hint on the release ETA ? Would be a great christmas gift !
You were on my list of thanks as I sat with family yesterday evening. I am very grateful for all you do. Thankyou.
Thank you Paul for sharing your knowledge!
Well, I’m thankful for you too, Paul. Your teaching us “real” woodworking has made the craft so much more enjoyable.
Belated Thanksgiving wishes to you and your’s Paul from well wishers here in Vermont.
Today, commercial shopping interests will hold their appropriately named day of crass consumerism,… ‘Black Friday’. It’s the antithesis of Thanksgiving. Many people are waking up however and changing their lives away from it to sustainability and human made quality goods. Meeting more and more younger individuals with these ideals is highly encouraging. It augurs the prospect for a saner future for all.
Keep up ‘the great work’ we are with you!
Happy thanksgiving to you too, sir.
I’m very thankful for woodworking and the time it provides for me to spend with my grandsons. The eleven year old can take a chisel and cut a better mortise than I can.
Yes, but would he have had the opportunity without his granddad?
Paul thank you for your in sites. Reading your post and watching your utube lessons has gotten to to try more hand tools and refreshing my hand skills. I watched my great grand dad years ago stop to sharpen his chisels while hang doors one piece at a time and watching you brings back those memories. Thank you. Jim from the USA.
Happy Thanksgiving to and your family and look forward to the new year. Hopefully for me I hope to have a better year health wise so i can spend more time in my shop things and working with the Grandkids.
I really appreciate alll you do and have learned so much and certainly appreciate hand tools more. Looking forward to your new book, hopefully it will be availble before Christmas, hint hint.
Steve
Thank you Paul
For making yourself available to us in your instruction, sharing your philosophy and artisan view of life and the world. I really appreciate all that you do and will do.
Thanks for you kind works, Paul, and for all the insight and explanations you provide. You’re well regarded on this side of the Pond. Any plans for a visit here? Tom.
Happy belated Thanksgiving to Paul Sellers! He wasn’t born an American, but he got here as fast as he could, as they say in Texas. 😉 I hope all of my friends I’ve met through Paul’s teachings have much to be thankful for this year, and in the next.
Paul, I am great full you chose to share your talent and time with the world. Your commitment to others has fulfilled many lives and you have made my life better and I am confident others. God bless you and yours.
And thank you Paul. Your video’s are frustrating (how does he do that!) and enjoyable (Oh, that’s how to do it).
Nothing to do with your grey hair and time in the trade of course(wink).
I only found your video’s by accident a week or two back and I must have watched (and watched again) hours and hours of them.
Instructive and useful.
I only wish you’d been my woodwork teacher in 1960!
Enjoy.
You express the true Thanksgiving Spirit with these kind words. Thank you Paul for all that you give wood workers everywhere.
Thank you Paul. Your love and passion for wood, to me , shows a true passion for the natural world and all within. Have a great thanksgiving and Christmas to you and your’s.