Points2Ponder

                         "My Favorite Thanksgiving-- 2009!"

                                     Points2Ponder

                                                                                                       By Alan P. Scaglone

 

It’s Thanksgiving!
That time of year when most of us…eat too much, collapse on the couch and take a Turkey induced afternoon nap!
Ahh Thanksgiving… we wait all year long for you!
A time when families find a way to get together, reunite…
So they can “make a memory” of how life changes, yet family stays the same!
Whether it’s Uncle Paul screaming for the football team losing on TV…
Or Uncle Joe sitting with his guitar, playing the latest song he wrote to his nieces and nephew gathered around…
It was a time when our family just connected, hung out, shared the moment…
Reflected on life. Your life. With your family.

Points2Ponder  What do you remember most about Thanksgivings past?

It’s often been said “You can’t pick your family!”

I think God picks them for you—and, good or bad, funny or sad, they are yours, and yours alone!
And it’s a sense of belonging, a sense of fitting in and being accepted… for you!
When we are kids, it’s seeing your cousins and Uncles and Aunts…
When you are parents, it’s seeing your siblings and watching their kids with your kids.
It’s this thing called a Family Tree—and all of the branches that keep growing and adding limbs.
And that’s what Family should be… an extension of what we know and love!
I know growing up, I remember that’s when I got to see my cousins.
When I grew up… my brothers and I would take turns, revolving the holidays at each house.
Having them over to my house was a great event—even if—once my brothers arrived, I ended up being 11 years old again.
Paul took my “clicker” turned on “my” TV to watch whatever game was on.
Joe would ask me “you got a minute?” which meant—he wanted me to listen to his latest 10 minute song.
I remember thinking “Why me?”

How I wish I could hear him say “got a minute?” one more time.

When my kids got older, and a few had already moved out, my favorite Thanksgiving happened!

It was cold—for Florida that doesn’t happen often!
All the kids came home and brought their add ons!
Daughter with husband...
Son with wife…
And the grandkids!
I wanted a picture—had this feeling there would be a time when… this might not happen as often as I wanted.
But? If I took the picture, then I wouldn’t be in it… the kids actually wanted me in the picture.
So… I went to my neighbor Sandy’s house and asked her son Matthew to come over for a minute…
And there, in front of my white expedition affectionately called “Max” we took this picture.
And it reminds me every time I see it of my favorite Thanksgiving!

I had a feeling… and sure enough—getting together is NOT that easy anymore!

We have 2 daughters, a new son-in-law and two grandsons in Rhode Island…

We have a daughter stuck in Tennessee…
And 2 daughters, a son, a daughter-in-law and son-in-law and …
Two grandsons and our two granddaughters (one outside her mommy’s tummy and one still inside-- til March 2013)
And my sweet Bella and I will be alone for Thanksgiving… adjusting to this new phase in our life.
Life has a way of changing, whether you want it to or not…
Aren’t you glad you’ve got your memories?
Glad I got that picture!

Maybe you should take one of your family tomorrow…

You just never know… it may be your Favorite Thanksgiving of all!

Don’t ever take for granted what we always assume will be there…

Family is God’s reminder that… we all belong to someone…somewhere!
Even if we can’t be at one table, at one time, hearing what each person’s thankful for…

We can still be thankful that…

They are healthy, they are happy, they are growing their family…

Just like you did yours!

Happy Thanksgiving…
Now go make a memory!

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