Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone around the Steemit world! As my family tradition on this thankful day, we all gather around a overly large table that starts in our grandparents dining room and somehow a small handful of days out of the year reaches all the way to the end of the living room! Family gathers from far and near, and consists of people of all ages! For many of us, its the first time we have seen each other in a good 6 months. You're guaranteed to hear a football game in the faint background, if you can hear over the consistent white noise from the large mass of people that appear to be in every room. Your nose will never get a break from the aromas filling the air from all of wonderful and plentiful food Grandma has spent all day to prepare for everybody. Kids are running around screaming and playing, just carrying on. Adults are grouped off and the stories being told seem to be endless, and no subject goes unmentioned. As the old tall grandfather clock that stands in the corner begins to make that one of a kind and never forgetful sound of striking 4 o' clock in the afternoon. We all know what that sound means! If your not part of the family and you've never attended one of our family dinners what happens next so fast and suddenly would probably leave you some type of confused. As those 4 loud deep and hollow sounding bongs ring out into the air from the grandfather clock, each and every person, in a flash mob like manner will all, on Que, stampede into the kitchen. A room on any other day of the year seems crowed with four people, now has two dozen more! There is no personal space, you can maybe shuffle your feet and lift your arms elbow high. A horribly formed, single file line, make that a double file line, forms at one end of the kitchen and rotates its way around the wrap around counter tops as a buffet is neatly laid out all around you. Hands and fingers start reaching and showing up out of no where and food starts disappearing the serving dishes. Paper plates are put to the ultimate test on this day. It is as if you are not allowed to exit the kitchen and take your seat at the table unless every paper plate in every hand is nearly bending out of your hand or needs a second plate to help stabilize the original one! If Grandma dosent see your plate hyper-extending and two items from each food group on it, your going to be questioned about your appetite and health. It results in an automatic assumption that you don't feel good. Everyone can take their seat, wherever you want to sit is fine; as long as its not at the far end, at the head of the table. We all know that seat is reserved for Pap. Chances are he is still sitting there. He gets his dinner after everybody else has cleared out of the kitchen. Food stays on your plate and dosent even attemp to be eaten until we all bow our heads and a prayer to the Lord; Jesus Christ; and the Holy Spirit have been made. Now everybody can begin to eat and enjoy the food that has been made and prepared, and shared with all of us; out of love and care from everyone one of our parents, grand parents, and even great grand parents since the last few years.
Growing up, I will always remember one year in particular more then the others. I can remember all of the family beginning to enjoy their Thanksgiving day meal. It started out like every other Thanksgiving get together, nothing appeared to be any significantly different or out of the ordinary. My grandfather, who i am now convinced has better hearing and memory then anybody else in the family by the way, casually began asking everyone questions. I am still convinced he had note cards under the edge of the table, as he managed to recall at least one issue that each and every one of us had talked about with somebody at one point throughout the day. My grandfather had a point to make, and he approached it way that gathered everyones attention. Little did we all know, Grandfather was up to something. He was about to successfully plant a seed of wisdom upon us all, in a unique old school way. He began his way around the table. To the first person he asked them about their car, as earlier in the day he heard them talking to someone else about how they didn't like their car. The reply confirmed what he had heard earliyer, how they did not like their car because it had minor dents and scratches on the exterior, and the room inside was too small in their opinion and they didnt think they got good gas mileage. Grandfather gave a reply back; on the surface it sounded as if he was sympathetic, saying sometime dents and scratches make a nice car look bad, and then went on to agree about how he wished his truck was bigger and had more room inside, and his how he hated having to fill his tank so much. a small faint feeling of sarcasm lingered in the air. He then added a comment stating the only thing worse then all of that, was not having a car at all.
Grandfather continued on to question the next person about them not liking their job and so forth. He was answered back how they didnt receive enough wages in their opinion, and the atmosphere was too dirty of an environment for them, and how they didnt like their boss because he yelled too much. Grandfather again seemed sympathetic while agreeing with all of their concerns. He stated he to wanted to make more money, and how he didnt like ruining clothes at work because everything from that to his own body just got covered in dirt and dust every day. Grandfather also admitted his boss yelled a lot too, and that he didnt like when that happened. He proceeded to say that the only thing worse then his job, and that he ever hated more; was not having one at all.
By this time a majority of the older people were starting to see Grandfather develop a pattern.Some of the younger generations were just thinking that their Grandfather is weird. So he moved onto the next person and proceeded to question them, and ask what about their house he heard them complaining about. They proceeded to tell him they have to replace some pipes, the roof is starting to leak and needs new shingles. Grandfather agreed. He said he said he hates leaky pipes and wish he never had to fix any more them, and then said he has already put new shingles on this very roof two times now since hes owned it. Then Grandfather said the only thing worse then any of that happening, is not having a house for it to happen to. By now almost everybody is starting to see what Grandfather is doing. So he continues around the table. Everyone answers when its their turn, and Everyone continues to just listen to whats being said while they are left to left to take in everything and think about what is being said. No matter what anybody says to Grandfather, his replies seem to be consistent. Once completed Grandfather then asks, if anyone has learned anything from they have heard. It was a mass agreement that the moral of it all, was instead of always feeling and looking at things negatively in the little picture, take a look at the big picture, and be thankful for certain things you take granted and over look everyday. because some people do not even have some of those things.
So, if you only do it one day a year, make it be today! Be thankful! and have a
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!