Time to lighten things up a bit. After all, fall is ending, winter is coming, and there will be plenty of time to sit in the cold and ruminate on the annoyances of life. Now is the time to enjoy football, fires, family, (not necessarily in that order), and the smell of a fine, hot meal on a cold afternoon. November is without doubt, my favorite month. Most people love December for things like Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule, Kwanza, or the ever more popular “Festivus for the Rest of us.” For me though, Thanksgiving was THE holiday. Growing up, it was the one time when ALL of the family got together, and that was something special for me as a kid. The tradition continues in my family, and even now almost a month out, I’m getting excited. Somehow the smell of a cooking turkey, cold crisp air, and tons of leaves on the ground still feels very special.
Looking back, Thanksgiving even felt special when the smell of food was a warming MRE, the air was hot, and the leaves were definitely not in sight. (Sometimes, you would be hard put to just find a tree, much less one that turned colors or shed leaves.) Still, we found a way to make it a happier time, no matter where we were or what we were doing. Such is the way of families. For some of those Thanksgivings, we were just thankful for being alive, and our family was the men around us sharing our misery. Oddly enough, even though they weren’t “blood kin,” and the turkey was cold and in a plastic pouch, the holiday was no less special, because the bonds were every bit as strong as with our own families. The spirit is what makes this a special time, and it is that spirit that keeps us going, no matter where we are or what we are doing. This year I am lucky to be home and anticipating the family being together in a few weeks which, as always, is that for which I’m most thankful. ~ Michael S. Pauley
Looking back, Thanksgiving even felt special when the smell of food was a warming MRE, the air was hot, and the leaves were definitely not in sight. (Sometimes, you would be hard put to just find a tree, much less one that turned colors or shed leaves.) Still, we found a way to make it a happier time, no matter where we were or what we were doing. Such is the way of families. For some of those Thanksgivings, we were just thankful for being alive, and our family was the men around us sharing our misery. Oddly enough, even though they weren’t “blood kin,” and the turkey was cold and in a plastic pouch, the holiday was no less special, because the bonds were every bit as strong as with our own families. The spirit is what makes this a special time, and it is that spirit that keeps us going, no matter where we are or what we are doing. This year I am lucky to be home and anticipating the family being together in a few weeks which, as always, is that for which I’m most thankful. ~ Michael S. Pauley
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