My Favorite Day of the Year

Today. Thanksgiving. It is my favorite day of the year! I cannot explain how much I truly enjoy today for everything that it is and for what it signifies. I am not sure when I developed a love of Thanksgiving, but I do believe it stems from the planning and prep that I saw Mom and Granny put into the days leading up to the big feast. We were not a big family in Texas because my parents and older brothers were from Ohio, but it was the connection and the excitement I had of the food being prepared. When I was old enough, I was tasked with making the fruit salad and one pie. I am sure that it was a burden for Mom, and I certainly made a huge mess in the process, but I felt like I was helping and she allowed me that much…. and with the memories I have, I can now see with clear vision that I was absolutely in the way, slowing them down, but I helped. Mom and Granny graciously let me interrupt their process and they pretended that I was doing just that, helping.

Until my twin and I were 6, our dinners consisted of our 2 older brothers, Granny, Mom and Dad, making it 7 of us, and then it was just the 5 of us until we were 12. After that the dinners were smaller in preparation and proportions. It was bittersweet but Mom still went through all of the trouble to make Thanksgiving a feast! By then, I am happy to say, that I was a much bigger help, although the same mess followed me. (And, I still create a mess in the kitchen- that will never change, I’ve tried.)

Eventually, around age 14, we started joining family friends for Thanksgiving, getting us out of our small town for the day. My parents were good friend’s with a younger German couple that had a very large family. It was a connection that was strong because Dad was German himself, having been raised by his grandparents that immigrated from Germany during the war. They spoke the language of their homeland only in the house, and forbid the kids from speaking it, but Dad could still understand it and that made for some amusing conversations.

We joined them each year for 2-3 years and then we were homebound through my high school years for Mom. Dad and I had no desire to orchestrate a big feast, so for the next few years we volunteered to help my Godparents host a community Thanksgiving dinner held for those that either had no family or could not afford to cook a big meal for their kids. Eventually, it got so big that anyone that wanted to join would show up for lunch; it became a day to gather and reconnect. We always took a huge plate home for Mom, who was excited to hear about the days events.

So, friends, no matter what you choose to do, or whether or not you’re in the states, today is a good day for a good day. Make today yours and if that means going for a walk, while eating ice cream and chomping on a turkey leg (at the same time), then do that! There are no rules for what today should bring. It has taken me a long time to share more of my story with people, and as I do, I realize that my Thanksgiving’s have evolved over the years and for that I am thankful. Today will forever be my favorite day of the year.