A Few Thanksgiving Thoughts

A random photo from my archives

I don’t remember Thanksgiving gatherings from when I was growing up. Not one comes to mind, nothing particular out of the ordinary stands out. I think it’s because we, as a family, visited my grandparents every Sunday for dinner (lunch) where my MaMaw served delicious,homemade dishes and extended relatives came to visit for coffee and dessert. Also, food has never been a big focus for me. I don’t think about it much. So, I think Thanksgiving has just melted into my collective memory of family meals, in general. 

After I had my own house, I cooked a few family Thanksgiving dinners and it was not fun. I admire people who like to cook huge, hours-long holiday meals but I am not one. My memories of those times are ones of anxiety, aggravation, and exhaustion. The food was fine, of course, because I am a competent cook but I don’t like to cook. For me, it was hours of work and a messy clean up for a few minutes of turkey and sweet potatoes. Do I sound petulant? I was. 

People go to a lot of trouble to be with family for the holidays. I’ve had good times with family for the holidays over the years but, honestly, I enjoy visiting more during normal times. I enjoy spending normal days with them, unhurried, when there’s time to really talk and do things together unencumbered by the freneticism of holidays. 

Now, I cook a simple pan of chicken and dressing, a vegetable, and sweet potato casserole for my husband and myself. We enjoy a quiet day and that is all in the world we need to be thankful. We are grateful every day to live in America. All it takes is to be aware of the circumstancs of other people in the world. Perspective is everything.