Day Twenty-Six: Tis the Season to Be Moody

Maxine was Mama Schaefer's favorite

"We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude." ~Cynthia Ozick

The fire crackled and popped in the background of warm laughter, as Thanksgiving day wound to a close. Dishes were done, bellies were stuffed, and my little family sprawled over the living room sofas watching Captain America while the fire kept vigil. I thought of all the people absent from the dinner table this afternoon, and about people who were eating alone, or not at all. This time last year was when Mama Schaefer got ill and boy was I missing her. I wondered about other dinner tables on this special day...if their conversation flowed easily or were tense and strained as personalities clashed in barely contained pleasantries. I recalled Thanksgivings past, earlier in our marriage when we bounced from house to house, miserable by the end of the evening and positively sick of turkey and stuffing. My mind threatened to sink into the maudlin as Captain America fought to save the day.

Why don't we make our Thanksgiving favorites on a random Tuesday in March, instead of stuffing ourselves into a tryptophan coma in late November? Why don't we nurture relationships all year, instead of waiting for a seasonal get-together to speak with one another? I wondered these things as I picked at my dinner earlier in the day, but then I looked over and saw my father sitting with my brother and his wife, happily chatting between bites. I was thankful to see him, especially with a smile on his face. While in line for dessert, my little niece stopped her mad dash to hug me tight. I was thankful to see her growing healthy and strong, her blonde hair in disarray from a day spent playing with her little cousins. On the front porch after dinner, I smile, listening to my girls slip into Spanish with my Uncle Matt's Peruvian wife, who delights in helping them practice their linguistic skills. These people who are part of my tribe are a diverse group, some of whom I'm very close to, while others remain nearly strangers. Together we are a complicated mix but I enjoy being around them very much during the holidays. I am, however, always grateful at the end of the evening, when I can go home, relax and enjoy the quiet company of my husband and our girls.

I don't know why the holiday season is always fertile ground for a myriad of mood swings and strong emotions, but it never fails to be exactly that. As I spend my weekend decorating for Christmas and looking for creative ways to cook Thanksgiving leftovers, I must stay mindful of keeping my focus on positive, happy things (the ornaments, especially, almost always make me cry). May your weekend be full of joyous things and feel free to send me any recipe suggestions for all these leftovers!

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