Saturday, November 25, 2006

Lots to be thankful for

Thanksgiving is always a stressful time for my family-- I don't know why, exactly. It usually begins when my parents start trying to divy up time and try to agree on what is "fair" in regards to how much time my sister and I spend where. The stress continues as we prepare to go visit my mom's family for a half day or so. This year was especially stressful because it would be the first without my grandmother, and the family had been through some rocky times when my grandmother's health was failing. Amd then of course, there's the stress of switching houses, whichever I go to first. And so on...

This year, we celebrated Thanksgiving with my mom's family at one of my aunt's houses. Everyone was supposed to bring something-- we brought pumpkin cheesecake and broccoli salad. I think I was laughing the entire time I was there. One of my uncles had said he was going to come and grab a takeout box, and leave (in reality, he didn't...). And then there's my cousin who announced so sweetily at the table that he is homophobic (you could hear the crickets churping after he said that). And another of my uncles talked for thirty minutes about kidney stones, what you can/can't eat, what the actual medical explanation is, etc. And there were a few moments when everyone at the table was listing what they thought I should grow up to be: peace corps volunteer, journalist, politician, preacher, etc etc etc. Ah, yes, I love my extended family. I am reminded of how strangely normal we are.

I'm in my dorm tonight, Saturday. It's quiet on campus. The dining services are completely closed. The elevator has remained where I left it, when I used it to bring me and my load from home up, all night. There is one other person on my hall, and maybe a handful in the entire building. I like it. Tonight, I am thankful for:
-the quiet, peaceful atmosphere and time to regroup
-kidney stones because I am reminded that it could be so much worse
-an AC system that tries to work, but fails, because it means that when I get it fixed I will be warm for the winter
-all the work I have to do and the exams I have coming up, because it means I can afford to go to school
and so on...

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