Digressions: My Life in 500 Words or Less

Let’s talk turkey.

What’s better than a Thanksgiving meal with loved ones?

Two Thanksgiving meals with loved ones.

That’s what Becca and I had the privilege of experiencing last week. And it truly made me feel thankful.

It also made me feel just plain full. Talk about stuffing. And rolls.

Because of all that stuffing and rolls, I personally have more stuffing and rolls. But overindulgence is the name of the game for this holiday, so I guess it’s appropriate.

The first Thanksgiving meal we had was our own. We ate about noon, and we included our annual tradition of flying the turkey around the kitchen before popping it in the oven. It’s something Becca’s father used to do, and when she told me about the family tradition I asked her if she wanted me to continue it for our Thanksgiving meals. I’ve performed the ritual for 20 or 30 years.

For the past several years Rebecca and I have videotaped the flying of the turkey and posted it on Facebook. We even have friends who look forward to seeing it. That makes the tradition even more special.

Our second Thanksgiving meal was at the invitation of a couple of friends of ours, Sean and Kelly. We shared Thanksgiving dinner with them that evening, complete with a extensive menu of side dishes and desserts. It was their first Thanksgiving in their new home, and that made the occasion even more special to us, to be asked to be part of it.

Hmm, there seems to be a theme forming here: the special made even more special.

And it’s fitting, really. On a day set aside for giving thanks, what better a reminder that what we have is not only cause for thanks, but can create even more reasons to be thankful.

What we are grateful for can be just another bridge to even more happiness and joy for ourselves and others. Sometimes it’s just a matter of recognizing the gifts we are given.

Thankfully, we can experience the happiness and joy of special occasions long after they are over, reliving them in our hearts and memories. The good things in life do not come with expiration dates.

So after all the turkey, stuffing, casseroles, mashed potatoes, rolls and pecan pie have been digested, and as we head into the season of crowded shopping venues and full schedules, it’s important to keep things in perspective. At least it is for me.

There are many reasons to be thankful, and the best Thanksgiving meal is a feast on the bounty of life’s best offerings: love, goodwill, peace and friendship.