Thanksgiving Day Essay, November 22, 2012

     Thanksgiving Day has always been a large part in my life, as it is in so many other people’s lives in this part of the world.  It is a time when families rejoin, Christmas plans are hatched, gift hints are dropped and the aromas of seasonal treats like turkey and Pecan pie fill the air. It is also a time when we are reminded of what we looked like back in those early holiday photos and realize so many of our table mates are no longer with us to share the special occasion.   Likewise, so many of the traditional treats have also passed on with time;  the pies now, were previously frozen, the dressing came out of a box, and the hormone injected turkeys have breasts larger than any pole dancers on the strip.

     Each of the last few years has proven to be an increasingly difficult struggle for me to keep the Thanksgiving tradition alive. These awkward attempts have resulted in long distance traveling, dining out, gathering groups at casino buffets, and yes, even frozen pies and boxed stuffing in my own home.  This year, a loud voice in my head screamed a resounding, “Whoa!  When is enough, enough”?  I am after all, just an older man currently sharing a parallel life with an older Boxer dog named Otis. We are both aging friends, grateful for every new day, we again get to spend together.   

     It is for this very reason, I chose this year, not to “indulge in the holiday festivities”, but rather to spend the day quietly at home,  walk the beach with Otis, eat a huge meal and take a two hour cuddle nap with Otis until dusk.  I am proud to report, the day turned out exactly as planned and was most memorable.  The truth is, and I will admit it, today was like every other day…except… being Thanksgiving, I did not cook a turkey, gather friends, travel or stand in line at Best Buy for a Black Friday Deal.  I gave all that up this year to spend one more day with Otis, and that is what made the day special for me.  I am thankful for this one “extra” day.