Always thankful

So many reasons to be thankful yet sadness permeates between joyful smiles. There is a profound, lingering ache for those not with us.

My parents, whose family home we gathered in, now my brothers house he shares with his life companion, my sister in love, Judywas still the host.

Mother shared her last Thanksgiving, a scant week before her passing, twenty-five years ago.

Our dad lived on for fifteen years, passing mere days after spending a last Thanksgiving with his family.

That their passing dates were two days apart spoke to the magnitude of their love. He said she spoke to him every night in his dreams and my dad was a truth-teller. If he said it, it was the truth.

My sweet nephew, my godson, and my own eldest son. Their presence missed for a decade now. We’ve missed their mischievous smiles for so long.

Our sister, who was taken by cancer who loved the holiday, even though she didn’t like to cook, always made our family recipe of Green Bean Casserole. Her husband was in our group.

My older sister, by only twenty months, has now been missing for several years. Missing not dead. Gone from us just the same. Held captive in her mind and taken by a stepson she loathed. Where are you, Sister? Whisper it to one of us and we will come get you.

We remaining three siblings gathered in a tighter circle, some of our children also.

The familiar meal in the comforting space rang true reasons to be thankful.

Each goodbye at the end of the day, when we all leave for our homes, seems harder. We hold each other with renewed tightness; promising not to wait an entire year…

We were grateful for a strong family tradition holding us together for another Thanksgiving.