It's days away from the gluttonous day of feasting known only as Thanksgiving. A day of wanton disregard of caloric intake, alcohol consumption and merrymaking. The origin of the holiday is so far removed, that I believe few actually remember it. Regardless, I'm still wishing y'all, Happy Thanksgiving!
I remember the last Thanksgiving we had with my mother prior to her passing. She was home from the hospital after they "released" her - that's a completely different story for another time. As much as she wanted to, she didn't possess the strength to cook the feast the family was gonna demolish.
My Aunt Patty and yours truly stepped up for cooking duty. I don't even remember when I started cooking turkey but in the time spent I've become quite adept at it, even though it's only an annual event. Aunt Patty cooked everything else.
Every Thanksgiving, save for this one, was a joyous occasion. We usually invited over family members to watch the NFL game while Mom cooked in the kitchen. After the early dinner, we would retire to the living room for board games, or general conversations about memories past.
However, this Thanksgiving had a black ominous cloud hovering over it that it made the air super awkward. If I had to put my finger on it, it's probably survivors' guilt. We all knew that this most likely was Mom's last Thanksgiving, yet the rest of us would continue. That would be Charrina, Dad, Aunt Patty, Uncle David, and yours truly. Patty and David had been divorced for many years prior but they still could be civil with each other.
There's nothing fun about living on #borrowedtime, ya know? Speaking of knowing, knowing my Mom as well as I did, I knew that her selfless nature was torn up by this awkwardness. She knew her presence was welcomed was also a distraction from joy.
As I said, the entire experience was awkward.
Unfortunately, Mom got ill from the rich food because her body was trying to defeat cancer. We joked it was our cooking that did her in, if only to introduce some levity into a dark time. In order for me to keep it together, I took pictures with my digital camera. Every once in awhile I'll encounter those photos which I, now, find repellent.
To be honest, I don't really remember too much more about that night. Despite all of the above, I was still grateful. I walked away with the gift of gratitude.
The reason why I'm grateful is my ability to appreciate the last one with Mom. Every year since then, I generally gather up all the Thanksgiving "orphans" to feed them my Costco-given turkey which I cook up just nice for them. And by orphans, I mean, friends and/or family that don't have other plans and are available to join us.
I'm grateful that I still have the ability and desire to host and feed my tribe (friends and family) I can cook the meal by myself but I usually enlist the help of others.
In years past, I usually will ask around the table what's the one thing that happened to you that you're most grateful for.
So, Seattle, what are you most grateful for this year? Please comment below! And as always, and until our next drop, be good like you should, and if you can't be good, at least be good at what you do!
Mic drop *bOoM*
'los; out
I remember the last Thanksgiving we had with my mother prior to her passing. She was home from the hospital after they "released" her - that's a completely different story for another time. As much as she wanted to, she didn't possess the strength to cook the feast the family was gonna demolish.
Every Thanksgiving, save for this one, was a joyous occasion. We usually invited over family members to watch the NFL game while Mom cooked in the kitchen. After the early dinner, we would retire to the living room for board games, or general conversations about memories past.
However, this Thanksgiving had a black ominous cloud hovering over it that it made the air super awkward. If I had to put my finger on it, it's probably survivors' guilt. We all knew that this most likely was Mom's last Thanksgiving, yet the rest of us would continue. That would be Charrina, Dad, Aunt Patty, Uncle David, and yours truly. Patty and David had been divorced for many years prior but they still could be civil with each other.
There's nothing fun about living on #borrowedtime, ya know? Speaking of knowing, knowing my Mom as well as I did, I knew that her selfless nature was torn up by this awkwardness. She knew her presence was welcomed was also a distraction from joy.
As I said, the entire experience was awkward.
Unfortunately, Mom got ill from the rich food because her body was trying to defeat cancer. We joked it was our cooking that did her in, if only to introduce some levity into a dark time. In order for me to keep it together, I took pictures with my digital camera. Every once in awhile I'll encounter those photos which I, now, find repellent.
To be honest, I don't really remember too much more about that night. Despite all of the above, I was still grateful. I walked away with the gift of gratitude.
The reason why I'm grateful is my ability to appreciate the last one with Mom. Every year since then, I generally gather up all the Thanksgiving "orphans" to feed them my Costco-given turkey which I cook up just nice for them. And by orphans, I mean, friends and/or family that don't have other plans and are available to join us.
I'm grateful that I still have the ability and desire to host and feed my tribe (friends and family) I can cook the meal by myself but I usually enlist the help of others.
In years past, I usually will ask around the table what's the one thing that happened to you that you're most grateful for.
So, Seattle, what are you most grateful for this year? Please comment below! And as always, and until our next drop, be good like you should, and if you can't be good, at least be good at what you do!
Mic drop *bOoM*
'los; out
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