Not Happy, but Bittersweet Thanksgiving

This year is going to be the most difficult Thanksgiving I've ever had. In the past 5 years or so, my family has had it's share of difficult holidays. One year we spent Thanksgiving and Christmas in either a hospital or nursing home with my mother. That year was particularly difficult for her, because she really wanted to be home, but couldn't buy presents for us kids. That was odd, because my mom always loved to buy us things for Christmas. She always made every year better than the last.

Last year she was getting out of the hospital on Thanksgiving, I made dinner, picked her up. It was a long stressful day. I would trade that for anything... if she were here with us.

This year I am spending Thanksgiving with my Sister and her family and my Mom's husband at my Mom's house. We have invited people who have nowhere else to go to come over and spend the day with us. This is a way I thought might make this easier for us, or at least take the sting of the day away slightly.

The closer we get to the day, the more I'm thinking about it. Today I actually had a very sweet woman I work with ask me if I ever knew my father. I told her no. This is not something I normally talk about but it's not something I'm sensitive about. She carelessly and obliviously said "Oh Wow... So it's like you're all alone in the world now." That cut me to the core because I do miss my Mom so much.

However, I am not all alone in the world. I have many friends who I spend a lot of time with - new and old. A few friends that I believe have been placed in my life for this very reason. Other friends who have been here for me for years. I even have friends asking if we could do a game night Thanksgiving night after we all eat and spend quality time with our respective families.

I guess I say all this to say be careful what you say to people. Be kind. You never know what kind of careless comment may really truly hurt someone. And also, if you are able to - do good for others this Holiday season. If you are able, invite someone over to spend a holiday with your family. There are many people out there who would have nowhere else to go otherwise.

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Pleasz Roy Daniels, Roy Daniels Grand Rapids, Michigan a.k.a. Mark Roy Daniels