Most of you know I'm more like a salmon when it comes to group settings. I would make a terrible lemming. I just can't go with the flow. There's always something bugging me and pushing me the other way. Now, this has never been a problem for me, but sometimes it hurt to be alone swimming upstream. I'm thankful for my ability to stand alone, but I know I ruffle feathers.
Picture yourself back in elementary school. It's the beginning of the school year. The questions come out on the "All About Me" pages. Low and behold here it comes: What is your favorite holiday? Every year I said, "Thanksgiving." Odd for a nine year old to choose Thanksgiving. The class was always filled with "Christmas" screams and "my birthday" excitement. Thanksgiving? Why? Well, my extended family is a little on the large side. My mother is an only child, whereas my father is one of seven. Every other year we would get together with his side for Thanksgiving and my moms for Christmas. The other years it would be in reverse. A fair deal. When the Larson side would gather it was close to 40 people in one house. I. Love. It. Sounds crazy, but I love a full house of family getting together after not seeing each other for months. Some years were difficult for me as we hit ages where I was "too young" for one group, but "too old" for the other. I vividly remember sitting alone in my aunts basement. (I was told a few years ago that my cousin remembers vividly how I would play with her and the "younger" cousins, thus making me cool. Funny what we see and remember.) No matter, I loved knowing we were all together. Regardless of which holiday it was, there was an exchange of Christmas presents. The adults drew names based on persons in their immediate family. But by the last few years of that, we selected without the blindfold for the people that we got along with more. That feeling of having 40 people in the house. The noise level. The group outside, the group upstairs, the group in the basement. The food. The gathering. That is what I loved. It wasn't the present I would get. It was the presence of my family. I always longed to be closer to my cousins, this was my chance each year. The emotions that went along with the family gatherings is what made me choose Thanksgiving each year as my favorite holiday, in addition to the allowance of eating twice my weight in a single night. I suppose that is my struggle with this "season." Everyone cries out, "Tis the season for giving...for peace...for joy...for family...for..." Huh? This is the season to be a kind person? This is the time of year to spend time with family? This is the season for letting someone through the line who has two items, while you have 53? Why? Why now? Why is it that it takes a made up man in a red suit with imaginary flying creatures and a snowman that comes to life to make everyone nice to each other? What is wrong with us? I know I buck the system, but I chose Thanksgiving as my favorite holiday, I believe, because even at a young age I was gifted with discernment. Thanksgiving is the day we all look back at part of history (though inaccurate in some teachings) so that we can remember that we have so much to be thankful for. When we are thankful, and truly grateful, we act like the people we should be in life. The turkey was dry, but we don't say anything because we are thankful for the turkey. Sure. That sets us up for this time of giving, and buying. We have so much to be thankful for that we are going to shop for extra stuff to give each other. Again, I ask why? Why can't we just stay thankful. No, we need the red and green, cheery songs, and tinsel to keep on being nice to each other. I knew from a young age that there was more in life when we are thankful, than when we are just merely cheerful. What if this mindset of being kind, giving, friendly (heck even jolly) was not here for just a month, and called a season, but stayed with us throughout the year? Look at us! By March 17th we need to get drunk to be around each other! Well, probably because February 14th brought on such heartache after the hope of January 1st. Sorry, my cynicism and disdain for these holidays is rising to the surface. When you go through the holidays you see how they are just constant reminders that we are selfish people who can't remember history and need a day to tell us to say "I love you" to our mothers, fathers, country, spouses, and now donuts. What if merry and bright were just words that described us year round? Perhaps that's why I do enjoy Christmas music year round. It is a reminder that family and friends are loved ones to spend time with. A joyous heart is something to give year round. And the birth - and death - and resurrection- of our Savior should be celebrated daily. I love Thanksgiving. I love seeing people turn their attention to the things they are grateful for. I struggle with a season of behavioral changes that should really be our attitudes all year long. Who am I to be controversial, especially at a time like this?! I suppose the next post I should join the chorus. Fa-la-la-la-la--la-la--la--la.
1 Comment
Nana
12/8/2017 07:29:33 am
It is a shame that it takes the formality of any holiday for us to be and show so many things. Why is New Years the only time for resolutions? Why is Valentines Day the day we are so demonstrative about how much we love our spouse or significant other? Why celebrate heritage and history only on St. Patrick’s Day? Or veterans on Veterans Day?
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