So it was more like over the freeway overpass and through the interchanges to my brother's, my cousin's and our friend's houses we go. And go. And go. Whew! Two weeks later and I'm still stuffed! Three Thanksgivings in one day is almost too much for anyone to endure. But endure we did and ended the day not only with full stomachs but hearts as well.
In many ways, our day was exactly what Thanksgiving was meant to be. A day for giving thanks for all the bounty that the year has given us. We are truly blessed to have the many friends in our lives. Truly blessed that loved ones are healthy and with us once again this year. And blessed that I've been given an opportunity to reconnect with family that for too many years has been absent. An absence that was made all too painfully aware to me once we were all face to face.
And what do I have to thank most of all for this reunion of sorts? Facebook. For all the vilification that particular social networking site has been under for the past several months (it seems that everyone has written something about why they hate Facebook) it does help keep the people who are important to you connected. And in some cases, it can aid in reconnecting. Sure there are annoying things about Facebook such as those people who feel it necessary to let you know what they are doing every second of their day. (Who do they think they are? The Kardashians?) But for me, it has proven to be invaluable for staying connected with those people who I want to be a part of my life. It's easy to ignore the rest - especially since Facebook allows you to ignore individuals news feeds.
But this isn't an endorsement for Facebook. It's about this time of year and what should be important to everyone. A friend of mine recently made a comment about how overwhelming this time of year can be. All the expectations of the perfect holidays that is crammed down our collective gullets via commercials, movies, and holiday TV specials. The truth is, I think, that the Norman Rockwell type of holiday never truly existed. He after all was an artist who captured a slice of Americana in a way that was meant for the covers of a magazine. Covers meant to sell that magazine to the public. And we bought it.
The flip side of it is that I've been looking forward to this Christmas as it will be the first one in which Riley is aware of what is going on. She's already noticing all the light displays that people have up in their yards and says "Ooh, daddy! Pretty! I don't know that she understands Santa Claus yet. And no, we haven't taken her to see him. I don't relish the thought of her being terrified of some strange bearded fat man in a red velvet suit. I remember being dumb struck every time I sat on his lap - after all, he knew everything! (He knows when you've been naughty or nice.)
But at the same time, it's all about making good memories for her and for us. We don't want to go overboard with the presents. We also don't want her to miss the true meaning of the holiday. We want her to grow up knowing that the meaning behind Christmas is about the birth of a boy. A boy who grew up to fulfill his destiny to be the ultimate sacrifice for the salvation of all mankind. And it's a time for family to gather together and remember too all those who have passed before us. For in some way, all those dear loved ones who are no longer here, made some small sacrifice for us to have a better life. That's what I'm thankful for. In remembering the past, a warm patina is added that deepens over the years. And our hope is that Riley (and all children) will end up with memories that are even more special.
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