I love Thanksgiving! For one day a year, people remember to be grateful for what they have. Family time is a priority. People make an effort to remember how lucky they are. I’m generalizing about the one-day-a-year part. I hope most people are thankful every day. I am.
Hubby and I were at home alone for Thanksgiving. We don’t mind, but it seems like we do twice as much work to prepare the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Hubby loves turkey; me, not so much. Last year, we cooked a big turkey and ate on it until summer (I’m thankful for my freezer). The other leftovers lasted more than a week of constant eating. I like more variety in my diet. This year, I treated Hubby to Golden Corral for Thanksgiving dinner. He could eat all the turkey he wanted and I could eat what I wanted. While he feasted on his favorite turkey wing, I had steak. While he ate fried shrimp, I enjoyed a very thin slice of white turkey meat and dressing (I love dressing). He loved the pumpkin pie, and I loved the chocolate chess pie. It seemed like the perfect solution, but we found we really miss leftovers.
While eating, I looked around the restaurant. Most of the tables were filled with one or two people. I understood why two people didn’t want to cook a feast, but my heart went out to those who were eating alone. Why were they alone? A trucker who happened to end up in Boise and stayed for a meal? Someone whose family was elsewhere and he couldn’t make the trip? Would he like to sit with someone so she had someone to talk to? I would have invited one of them over, but most were already settled and eating at their table so I didn’t bother them.
We had one holiday that we call The Thanksgiving With No Leftovers. Our son was in college and he came home with two of his friends who didn’t get to go home for the holiday. I’ve never seen three guys eat so much. They cleaned up most of the turkey and all of the side dishes and desserts. What little was left, we sent back to the dorm for snacks. It’s one of my favorite Thanksgiving memories.
I’m thankful every day. I’m thankful I was born in a free country. I’m thankful for farmers who grow our food, for truckers who bring it to us, to carpenters who gave us a place to live out of the elements, for law enforcement people who keep us safe in our homes, for those who serve in the military who keep us safe where we live, for my friends who support me emotionally, and my family who I can’t imagine life without. I must end this now so I can go say thanks to The One who holds me in His Hand.