A Thankful Remembering

I love Thanksgiving. Somewhere along the way, it has become one of my most favorite holidays...and I'm pretty certain it's not just the fabulous turkey dinner that does it for me. I remember coming home for one Thanksgiving in particular. My parents had bought a new cd called The Greater Vancouver Music Album while in Vancouver the month before, and the cd had been playing much of the day while we prepared the meal, and sat down to enjoy it later in the evening. The day played out like a movie with the music in the background, framing this idyllic Thanksgiving moment. To this day when I hear that cd play (as I am doing now), I think of that Thanksgiving weekend. And although that was a great thanksgiving moment...it's not quite my favorite.

My favorite was about 6 Thanksgivings ago. I was living in Calgary, and in my third year of nursing. My boyfriend at the time was going to be coming out to visit, and we were going to spend Thanksgiving together. It was going to be great. Until we broke up a week before. It was the right thing to do, for both of us...but even with that knowledge it didn't take away the sadness and loneliness in my heart. I remember trying to find a way to get back to Victoria for the weekend on 5 days notice, trying desperately to avoid a terribly lonely thanksgiving. Alas, there would be no trip to the island to spend the holiday with family, there was no boyfriend...it was not looking good. But, quite unexepectedly, that Thanksgiving would become one of my most treasured.

Andrea, my roommate and long time friend, and I decided we would do our own Thanksgiving. We bought a couple of turkey breasts, got our favorite recipes from our mothers for vegetables and sweet potatoes, set the table with flowers and candles, invited another family-less friend over for dinner, and proceeded to have one of the best Thanksgiving dinners I have ever had. It wasn't gourmet, and I could probably speak for both of us by saying that our culinary skills have improved drastically since then...but it didn't matter. We had made our own Thanksgiving.
Maybe it was the taste of independence. Maybe it was that I realized in that moment that family now extended beyond "relatives". Or maybe it was the recognition of the undeniable blessings that surrounded me, despite my loneliness.

From that year on Thanksgiving became the holiday to spend amongst friends who felt like family. This year my parents are in Winnipeg spending it with the rest of our extended family, and me - well - I'm spending it with new Thanksgiving "family". Serving a slightly more elaborate meal than that first one Andrea and I cooked up that Calgary autumn weekend...but remaining ever thankful for the undeniable blessings that surround me.