The Joy of Thanksgiving Tradition

The Joy of Thanksgiving Tradition

Among some of my fondest memories is sharing with our family the joy of the Thanksgiving tradition. I enjoyed the holiday with my four brothers for a half century at my parents’ home. We fought, of course, but we loved more. In the past decades, few have been absent from my parents’ house on Thanksgiving Day. I remember with amusement one-bathroom days. “Hurry up! It’s my turn!” We laughed. We talked. And we laughed some more. The wonderful aroma of he turkey baking mingled with the spicy fragrance of pumpkin pie filled the entire house. There was a lot of bustling about and conversation with many talking at once, but listening at the same time, and observing, also.

“Al, you’ve quit smoking. How’d you do it?”

“Made a decision! Like climbing a tree in the desert when a bear’s about to eat you alive. Alice said I had to if I was gonna get another kiss!”

On and on the conversation seasoned with salt, continued. Bragging, transparent, hiding and jealous…yet all loving.

But they won’t all be here this year. Emily won’t be … to sing her Russian songs. We’ll miss her again. As we do Dad. He died, also, one Christmas Day. We’ll tell antics of how he’d have us “go look at his crop.” He told us of his “skip-row” planting, and it didn’t matter if you were interested. He told you anyway.

We don’t know if Daniel will be able to be here since the divorce. Since great-grandmother is 87-years-old, we’re hoping he can be this year. Divorce affects so many lives besides the two people getting the divorce. You don’t turn off your feelings for someone just because they’re not a part of the family anymore.
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Copyright Bonnie Libhart October 2010