Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Customs vary from family to family, but, on this day, during our get together, there is generally a turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole. pies with real whipped cream. To that I add some traditional food that I grew up with. This year it will be Carne Adovada (Chile Pork) and Red Chile and Cheese Enchiladas.
Our gathering is one of friends that have become "family" through the years. Our children have grown up. Now some of them are married. There are grandchildren. (Here's where I need to remind MY ADULT CHILDREN that my biological clock is ticking, and I don't want to be drooling and in diapers when my grandchildren are doing the same.) Enough said about that.
We do have a separate table for all the children, including the adult children, because they don't like the topics we, parents, discuss. Not only that, we can't all fit at one table any more. I'm really not sure, but I don't think we ever could.
So, we gather. We toast the one who left us way too early. We celebrate those who are still with us. We enjoy the company, then we hear Bob say, "Boy, Terri, that couch is calling my name."
That is the beginning of the end of our gathering.
We put the leftovers in plastic containers to send home. (Mark always gets an extra helping of the Chile Pork.) We sort through the food. We throw away the disposable plates. We lend a helping hand to the young parents as they gather their children to go home.
The football game is turned off for a bit. We hug. We say good bye. We think about next year when we gather again.
If anyone ever asked me what I was most thankful for this year, I know I'd have to say, our gathering. We are both friends and familiy. We are growing up and older together.
God brought us together for this celebration. What a wonderful blessing this is!
