I took only two photographs at Thanksgiving dinner last year and this is one of them: Mom and Dad, at the table, in their usual seats, with two of Mom’s homemade pies: cocoanut custard and pumpkin. Ours will be a quiet celebration this year, our first without Dad. It’ll be Mom and my sister and Seth and me. There may have been more than the five of us last year; I really don’t recall. The year before that, we were all in Illinois, seated at a table for 17. Thanksgiving is like this––you never know year to year what it might be like.
Even though it is just the four of us, Mom and Marietta, my sister, have been cooking up a storm and they’ll be roasting a turkey that is just shy of 20 pounds. We don’t know how to cook small in my family. There will be leftovers and plenty of them.
We gather and we will certainly remember those who are not with us, but we will gather and appreciate that we are there for each other. For us, it’s been a year mixed with good and bad, a year that helps us truly appreciate our blessings. And so we give thanks for them and for each other. And I give thanks for you, too, for being with me on this journey each year around the sun, for reading every now and then and for letting me know that you do. I can’t thank you enough. From my family to yours: Happy Thanksgiving.
John
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. It’s hard when you’ve lost a parent and go through the first holiday without them, but it does make you treasure the people you are with all the more.
Thank you for giving us so much to think about in your posts. I always am delighted when I see an email from Convivio Bookworks.
Have a wonderful holiday season.
Sincerely, Marj Hollis
Thank you, Marj. I appreciate that. Very best to you, as well!
THANK YOU JOHN FOR ALL THE POSITIVE AND HEARTFELT MESSAGES YOU SENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR…I LOVE YOU. ENJOY YOUR FEAST WITH YOUR FAMILY.
Thank you, Ester! Best to you and yours, too, and thanks for reading!
Give them all a hug from me! Happy Thanksgiving, John.
Happy Thanksgiving, Guy, to your family, too!
Thanksgiving. No matter where we are. No matter who we are with. No matter what we eat. This is a day for remembering times passed. Remembering loved ones, some who may be with us, some who are not and some who never will be again. A day to recall all the funny and not so funny mishaps related to Thanksgiving. Don’t stress – We’ll get through it, we always do. It’s going to be a great day, so enjoy!
Here, here! We will enjoy, Dee. Our best to you, too!
Much love to all of you! You are in our thoughts and prayers!
And to all of you, as well! Happy Thanksgiving.
Thanks for the love brimming over, may it continue with many more feasts.
Grateful for your writing.
Anne
Thanks so much, Anne! Happy Thanksgiving to you.
So beautiful John. You make me cry. Happy and sad tears.
Aww, we’re missing that Illinois Thanksgiving this year! We’ll see you later on Skype.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Seth, Mom and Marietta!
Carol T.
Thank you, Carol! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, too.
What a wonderful photo of your folks! I know your Dad is in your hearts and memories today.
Thank you for The Book of Days. I am always delighted to read it.
Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours!
Daria
Thank you, Daria, for welcoming us into your home through the Book of Days. Happy Thanksgiving.
My warm thoughts to you, Seth, Marietta and your Mom. Wonderful memories of your Dad and the groaning table!
Here, the celebration is small – only my niece and nephew this time, but many presences of those far-flung and the ones who are held in sweet memory. Love and gratitude binds us all.
paula
It’s true, Paula. Happy Thanksgiving!
Hello John,
I’m so sorry to hear about your Dad. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Thank you so much for your writings throughout the year. They give me a warm and contented and peaceful feeling every time I read one. They provide a perspective which is easy to overlook in this modern high tech world. To me, the content of your writings is very important to my living a happy, fulfilling life.
A Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Joyous New Year to you and all of your family!
Geoff, thank you. I so appreciate that. A very happy Thanksgiving to you, too, and good wishes ahead through the holiday season.
John, what a wonderful photo. And I’m sure you loved those pies. And I can’t imagine you not eating all of them.
And all the best for a belated Thanksgiving wish.
Thank you, Arthur! We did a pretty good job on those pies, to be sure. Happy Thanksgiving to you, as well!