So I'm at home alone in my house tonight on Thanksgiving Eve. Now, don't worry, I have plans for tomorrow. Actually I had 5 offers for Thanksgiving dinner. I've decided to go to my coworkers parent's house in Virgina and I'm very excited about it.
But tonight I'm home alone. Which is fine. I like cooking myself dinner and watching TV alone occasionally. But tonight is one of those nights that has a significance and a sense of expectation.
This is the first Thanksgiving I won't be with my family. 22 thanksgivings with them one, without actually makes me very fortunate. But tonight I'm a little sad not to be in Walla Walla with them.
So instead of feeling sad or sorry for myself I've decided to think a little about the things I'm thankful for. I'm living in a beautiful home in Washington DC. I love my job and my house mates. I'm very fortunate.
One of my program participants told me today that "the homeless don't get a holiday." But I do, and I think its needed. I've been feeling a little less patient the last few days with the program participants. Now I have a little time to take a few deep breaths and regain some of that initial joy and patience I had in my casework.
I have a chance to refresh and recharge with this 4 day weekend and I'm going to embrace it.
I will miss making deviled eggs, polishing the silver, and eating my moms turkey. I'll need a status report on how the dad does making the corn casserole this year; its always different and always an adventure. I'm happy to know that Aunt Jane's pies will go on with out me. And who knows, maybe I'll still have a chance to cheat at cards sometime tomorrow.
But most of all "bless the apple pie and tea, bless each and every calorie," as the Boys and Girls Club Thanksgiving prayer tells us every year. That neatly encapsulates my feelings right now.
I'll miss being there but I'm happy to be here. This all might be a little sappy, but what is Thanksgiving if not a time for nostalgia? Most of all I'm happy to have so much to be nostalgic about. And you know what? Its not going anywhere (even if this year I'm not going anywhere either).
So friends and family on the other side of the country(or across the ocean), I love you and will miss you tomorrow especially.
This weekend I plan to have a wonderful time with a family kind enough to take me in. I will take time to get in order whatever I need to get in order to be the best possible case worker I can be on Monday morning. And I will take a few moments to consider how truly lucky I am.
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3 comments:
I give thanks to have such a caring and thoughtful person for a friend. I went to a Thanksgiving service yesterday that said a lot of the same things you did - only putting emphasis on how, really, we should all be a little more like Charlotte. They said Christ, but the values you express are the same, so I'm gonna ignore that small difference.
You're a great person Charlotte, I'm sure your patience will come back (or at least your impatience won't show!) and I hope you found as many new traditions to welcome you in Virginia as old ones you left behind in Walla Walla.
I love you baby! Happy belated Thanksgiving!
Great blog, Char. We love you too and we are thankful a wonderful family invited you to be part of their Thanksgiving. Tell your coworker thanks from me. Please don't ever forget the PS to that Boy's Town prayer... "Anyone who wishes can help with the dishes!"
I love you,
MoM
I love you kiddo! I hope that your first Thanksgiving away from home was a good one. I also hope that you began to see the ways in which you can create "home" where ever you are. It's interesting: new traditions, new people, new (and sometimes strange and different) food but the baseline is the same--a chance to be thankful for what you have and to share the day with people you care about. It's a pretty amazing holiday isn't it.
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