Posts Tagged ‘Thanksgiving’
Nov 09
Two days in November
The air was warmed by the cheesecloth-filtered sun. If felt much warmer than the 45 registering on the car thermometer. The parking lot was virtually empty as we arrived for our golf outing on the last weekend in November. It couldn’t be nicer out as I teed off from the first hole with my brother and my Dad. It was late enough in the season that the sun on half the holes, was always in our eyes. The air was perfectly calm and the only breeze was when we sped to our next shot on the propane power cart. I don’t think we’ve all golfed together this year and here we were out for the second weekend in a row, two days after Thanksgiving.
It is amazing all the things that crop up to prevent you from doing some of the things that matter the most. My dad is 78 and living by himself. It has been a little over two years since my mom passed away, and this time of year – the holidays – can be very difficult for him. I’m sure it would be no different for us if we were in his shoes. We all spent a wonderful time at my brother’s house on Thanksgiving Day as the house was filled with food, football, a buzz of activity, and family. Leaving that atmosphere to return to an empty house would be tough. I would think it would amplify the loneliness.
As we were walking up the 18th fairway, the sun was sitting lower in the sky, and still the weather was taking center stage. When we putted our last putt, put the flag back into the hole, and tallied up the scores, who won or lost was of little importance. It became clearer that the vehicle that gets us together is less important than just spending time with each other. Time and again, I come away wondering why we don’t do this more often. I am dumfounded. One reason could be that we just don’t feel like doing things that may take some effort. But, maybe what we should be asking ourselves is, ‘Will we be happier if we actually do the thing we are contemplating?’
Anyway, back from the rabbit trail. I could not be happier that I was able to spend the last two Saturdays in November with both my brother and my dad. Time goes by so fast. This winter I will be looking for other avenues to get us together. Cold, snow, short days, and being locked inside – these all work to isolate us in the best of circumstances. With my dad, I am sure it is even tougher.
I will remember these days and I give thanks to the Lord that I still have my dad around to do things and build memories with. Oh, by the way… unlike last week, he beat me today.
Nov 09
Happy Thanksgiving! . . . wait, is it over?
Did you have a Happy Thanksgiving? I sure did. Now onto Christmas! Wait a minute… the Christmas season started right after Halloween, right? Christmas music has been playing on the radio, and the stores have been decorated for a few weeks now. It seems like this pesky little holiday called Thanksgiving gets wedged into the mix and then gets used as an accelerant for Christmas called, “Black Friday”.
I am certainly not against Christmas. It is probably my favorite time of year. What I don’t like is that it seems like we allow everyone else call the shots when we are celebrating these holidays. Why does Halloween and Christmas garner so much attention and Thanksgiving comes and goes in a puff of smoke? We even actually get two days off for Thanksgiving—and none for Halloween. I guess we need one of those days to celebrate Thanksgiving and the other to start shopping for Christmas. We can’t even slow down long enough to let the dust settle.
The hijacking of these holidays serves one major purpose—to sell more stuff! The stores, TV stations, and advertisers start earlier and earlier to sell more and more. They couldn’t care less about what these holidays are really about. Family, friends, God, and country? Who needs it… Now let’s get selling! Thanksgiving pays the highest price, because we don’t buy anything for it. It is a time to stop, pause, reflect, and give thanks for all that we have in America.
Thanksgiving Day is a day set aside each year for giving thanks to God for blessings received during the year. We live in the best country in the world. We are the freest. We are the most prosperous. We are the most generous. We are truly a blessed nation. I feel very fortunate to call America my home. I am very grateful. Along with that, I have an awesome family and great friends. I am able to freely worship and exercise my Christian faith. I am not persecuted for my beliefs and can travel freely anywhere I choose. No other country in the world, besides Canada, celebrates Thanksgiving. That should tell you something.
So here is what I am doing. I am opting out of the hustle and bustle of this 30-second sound bite “holiday”. The retailers don’t have anything to gain by droning on about Thanksgiving, but we all do. I am going to take these few precious days to slow down and let the Thanksgiving aura persist before it gets snuffed out by the oncoming freight train of the Christmas season. I will then prepare for Christmas in its due season, because right on its heels is Valentine’s Day.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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