Happy Thanksgiving!   When it comes to relationships, pleasure, and sexual and reproductive health, here are 5 reasons to give thanks this season, including the Patti LaBelle Pie:

1. The gravy that has poured over your life this year. If you really think about it. A lot of goodness has poured over your life.  Go ahead. Celebrate and pour some more gravy over that turkey this holiday and enjoy. Sure, you’ve had some hard times. But, you’ve made it through. Life is good. Give thanks and be grateful. Reflect on what God has given you. And when it comes to sexual pleasure, Sophia gave us a good list last year we can use again this year to remember what we’re grateful for.
2. Getting rid of all the turkeys  – Take time to reflect on the relationships you’ve had over the last year. Pat yourself on the back if you were able to shed those unhealthy people, especially if they were abusive. Give thanks for those relationships that have sustained you over the year – including that special man who always knows the right thing to say – and do – to please you.  If you’re still working out a relationship that’s not just right, take a deep breath and stay strong.
3. The dressing and stuffing that keep you going. Sure, it’s all about the turkey during Thanksgiving.  But, what’s turkey without the stuffing – or dressing for our sista’s in the south.  God gives us our daily bread. And it’s bread that allows us to make stuffing. Give thanks for the ordinary as well as the special. Remember that praise or bonus you got this year in the boardroom – and the bedroom.  Thank the friend who kept you laughing during the tough times. Acknowledge the colleague who had your back during office disputes and the neighbor who looked  after your pet when you were away. Keeping God at the center of our lives allows us to be balanced and also find the dressing on our everyday plates of life.
4. Pumpkin seeds, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin spice make everything nice Last month, Lillian reminded us that fall is the season to embrace everything pumpkiny. Who can say no to pumpkin lattes or pumpkin and sweet potato pie? No one. Give thanks for pumpkin seeds and sweet potatoes that are good for vaginal health. Yes, right up there with yogurt and cranberry juice, pumpkin seeds and sweet potatoes are good for the vajajay. That zinc from pumpkin seeds help work your menstrual cycle and regulate your hormones and mood. Sweet potatoes are chock full of vitamin A for strong and vibrant vaginal walls.  More pleasure for the holidays. But, don’t get it twisted. Pumpkin spice is for pie and candles. Not douches. Remember Saturday Night Live’s parody of Autumn Eve Pumpkin Spice Douche. No matter how much pleasure the holiday season may bring, douches are not the way to keep it fresh.
5. The Patti Labelle Sweet Potato Pie.  Found at Walmart and now apparently on ebay, this pie is a testimony to the strength and sweetness of Black women’s lives. The Patti Labelle sweet potato pie and what it means in Black American culture – especially over the holidays –  has gone viral. Celebrate. Go ahead and have another sweet slice of pie of life