Thanksgiving Solo Style

-

Well, here we are at another Thanksgiving. No turkey or ham in sight. No dressing and no cranberry sauce. No family around just me alone to celebrate the one day of the year we set aside to celebrate and give thanks for everything. Normally I would have been at my parents but instead I am home thinking about what I am missing this year. I called my mother and talked for a long time (I don’t believe our phone calls have ever been less than 30 minutes). This is exactly what I would have been doing had I made the 3 hour trip to their home. Sitting around talking about nothing and everything like every other family on the planet.

I was supposed to spend time with a friends family but that has seemed to fall through. However, I am not disturbed by this but thankful to have this time to reflect on the past year and all everything that I have to be thankful. I have a wonderful, good paying job which I enjoy. I live in a nice apartment surrounded by friendly neighbors. I belong to a good solid church which I enjoy very much and I stay in contact with family through phone, text and Facebook. All in all I have a pretty good life and I thank God everyday for everyone in my life.

Do I recommend celebrating this holiday without family? No, if I had my way I would have been spending it with my family but in a lot of ways I am spending it with family. They are constantly in my thoughts and I have nothing but affection for all those in my life even though I may not be physically in their presence. For they are always with me no matter where I may roam.

My wish is that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and cherish the moments you have with your family because at the end of the day that is all we really have to count on. Money fades away, things break and are replaced by newer things but family is forever. So, as we start the journey through the holiday season I hope we all will cherish this time we have with our family and friends. Make this a special year for all of your family as you go about the business of preparing for the holidays. As for me, I will be with my folks enjoying their company and reveling in the successes of this past year and looking forward to the promise of the new year.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What If?

-
In all of the English language, no two words personify hope and the unexpected as What If.  These 2 words form the basis for most if not almost all stories we hold near and dear to our hearts.  It is a very prolific technique for exploring a new idea for a novel, screenplay, poem, prose and any other form where words dominate.  Personally, I like to ask the What If? question for any point in my life where I had to make a decision that formed the iconic fork in the road.  What if I had not married her?  What if I hadn't left this college?  What if I had not finished college, what might I have done?  Given the way life went, what if I had pursued my true dream instead of the safe path I actually followed? What if can also be applied to purely fictional enterprises like What if our legal system was more of a lottery than a process.  In other words, you are accused, they roll the dice which determines guilt, innocents and the length of your prison t...
Read more

Are You Paranoid or Just Careful?

-
Throughout my life I have been lumbered with this particular label and not in a particularly flattering way mind you.  Paranoia seems to be used very loosely when describing someone who may just be a bit more careful (or informed?). Some of us may have a very good reason to believe that we are being watched, followed, targeted by groups (yes if the government) or otherwise nefariously engaged.  I believe the problem is people lull themselves into a false sense of security.  False in the sense that it makes no sense whatsoever that anyone is at anytime immune to violent attacks.  Now will that attack be from a terrorist, organized crime or government entity, who knows.  The point is, as my psychology professor use to say, sometimes someone is following you.  No one wants to believe that we are not completely safe at any given moment.  However, there are events that seem to threaten that particular point of view.  My own take on this situation is ...
Read more

Conscientious Objection

-
Way back when I was in the process of graduating high school, we along with probably every other high school in the union were required to take the ASVAB test (ASVAB, or Armed Services Vocation Aptitude Battery, is a test given to determine suitability to serve in the armed services). The test covered among many other topics, mathematics, simple, applied and theoretical and tools by showing you a picture and you have to determine what said tool was designed for.  I was shall we say deficient in my advanced knowledge of math and some of those tools looked more like implements for torture than anything else.  Needless to say, I did not do well in these areas but exceeded quite effectively in all other areas.  Since I was determined to pursue a career in the ministry (Fundamental Baptist Minister to be exact), insufficient mathematical skills were not a concern.  Since doing well on the test, I was contacted by the US Army recruiter in our little tow...
Read more