All of a sudden it becomes “the holidays” as I turn my calendar to November. I begin to think, Oh, my, how did it get here so quickly again? The beautiful leaves have fallen and now make a dull brown carpet beneath my feet. I rush to remove them to make way for the first white snowfall.
The wind seems to blow stronger and my bones begin to feel weaker as the coldness settles into them. Darkness drops its curtain hastily, as if it’s advising me to prepare for what lies ahead. I snuggle into the couch and sigh, “It’s too cold and dark to go back outside.” The house glows from the flames in the fireplace and the thoughts that the season of family is here warms my heart. The holiday season of bounty is before me.
Thanksgiving, the most all American of holidays, is favored by many. It’s the holiday of food, football, family, and no gift buying! Our household is filled with 22 or more Strobel family members and friends from 18- 80 years old. One year, a Chinese exchange student joined our clan. The 25-pound turkey and the 25 family members amazed him. Thankfully, my husband cooks and everyone brings two dishes and a bottle of wine to share. Just as gratefully, everyone lives close too, so no one sleeps over!
Each year we all go around the tables to say what we’re grateful for. I believe this is one tradition that my children will never forget. Since there are so many people, it does take some time, but that’s the beauty of it. Time spent around the tables with aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents is a precious commodity. As we express our gratitude, the room is filled with laughter, tears, conversation, silence, comments, some prose, and a few speeches.
I’m always impressed with what the children say, I mean the young adults. It’s nice to hear they are thankful for their family but what amazes me most is how grateful they are for living the life they have now. They truly are appreciative of their present moment. I hear such things as being thankful for having a job, graduating high school, college, or law school, returning home from military service, getting married, having a dog, mother earth’s bounty, the opportunity to pursue their dream, and their parents sacrifices. It fills me with such joy to hear the voices of being satisfied with their season of life.
I turn the calendar to November and see starkness and richness all at once. I see the bare trees bending in the sky as they make their vacant sound of wind. I shutter at the newness of having to put on extra clothes. The scent and taste of crisp brittle blankness pains me to lose the freshness of summer behind. Yet I know I’ll also see love present itself in this season of bounty as I hear the voices of family gratitude. I’ll be covered with the richness that makes a house a home as warmth emanates around me from loved ones. The smell of apples, turkey and the fixings will fill my cupboard as I saturate my self with the comfort of Thanksgiving. So, as I sigh, “Oh my,” I’ll be grateful for the memories I create with my children and live in acknowledgment of this moment in time.