The Gift of Time

I have heard a lot about how different Thanksgiving was this year.  For many, I am sure that this was the case, but when I read my social media accounts, I feel like a much was gained this Thanksgiving.   Post after post showed young families gathering around their dining room tables sharing a meal.  Parents engaged with in conversation with their kids. Smiles and laughter on the faces of children who have their parents all to themselves this holiday season. As I looked at those posts, I wondered how many young people set the table for their afternoon meal for the first time?  How many roasted, smoked, fried turkeys were cooked for the  first time?  How many phone calls were made to mom for recipes of grandma’s green-bean casserole or dressing?  Were pumpkin pies baked at home or purchased from the local bakery?  How much time was spent devising menus and planning for that one meal?  How many young parents came to a new understanding of what their parents have done year after year to bring together such a complicated meal for a house full of people?

Five years ago, my daughter took on the responsibility of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.  When I could not stand to see the empty space at our table, she stepped up and the tradition of our small family gathering at her home began.  This year was no different.  Jared’s parents, Dave and I,  and the kids sat down for Thanksgiving dinner.  It was a great day filled with laughter, good food, and our small family. We had our health and each other. What more could we ask for?

Paul and his family did the very same in Texas.  Julie had dinner waiting for him when he arrived home from work, and their gathering consisted of Julie’s mom, sister, and Aunt Jan.  It was not the usual seventy-five people in one home.  It was small and intimate and perfect! It was one their children will remember because they were guests at the very table they dine at daily.  They laughed and heard stories of their parents past escapades.

In the midst of Covid-19, I hope that our country realizes that in tragedy, we were given the gift of time…time to gather in small numbers and share our lives and stories.  I am so thankful for that gift of time.  I know what it means for that time to be no more, so I cherish each and every minute I get.  To say I am grateful is an understatement.  My hope is that this year we will come to understand the meaning of small and intimate and appreciate all it holds for us.