By Lori Welch Brown
As I write this column, we are less than two weeks away from voting in the 2024 presidential election, a dear friend/neighbor is being relocated several states away, I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep since Clinton was in office (no credit to him—it’s just been that long), my roots are betraying me yet again, and…then there are the holidays.
Where will we spend Thanksgiving? Who’s gonna host? Who’s gonna cook? Should I make reservations? We should definitely have a reservation—we can always cancel. Should we go away? Will we be able to get a house sitter? Probably not. Definitely not. Should we invite your family? They’re not going to want to travel. What about my family? They already have plans. Friends? They probably already have plans. What about Christmas?
My current state of mind is that I can’t get my head around the holidays yet, but I know I need to. I just don’t want to think about turkeys and stuffing and pumpkin pies. Jiminy Christmas—I haven’t even had my first pumpkin spiced latte yet, put on a pair of boots, or parked myself next to a fire pit yet. Can we pump the brakes for a minute?
I say it every year, but the holidays feel like a rollercoaster careening down a wooden track. I’m white knuckling the side of the car, and I just want to get out before it hurls over the side. Personally speaking, I’m more of a log flume, winding river ride kinda gal so this doesn’t feel fun. At all.
I’d much prefer a slow roll into the holidays. Like, let us enjoy Halloween BEFORE the Christmas trees start popping up in the seasonal section of Home Depot. I don’t want the inflatable grim reaper anywhere near Mrs. Claus which is frightening on so many levels. I don’t want the corncandystuffingeggnog holiday implosion. Let us savor these things individually.
But, I realize I may be a camp of one. Some people (aka freaks) feel the need to book their Thanksgiving plans in March and have their holiday fetes all tied up with a bow by mid-April. These super planners are extraordinary humans and my hat goes off to them. While I do plan certain aspects of my life, the holidays have typically been left to the last minute.
If I’m being honest, I’m jealous of those people—they know where they’ll be and whom they’ll be raising a glass with—they have traditions and rituals—places to go and people to see. Some of us are born procrastinators and/or flounder in a fog of indecision and inaction. Some don’t have family and/or friends close by and can’t travel for different reasons.
Some years the non-plans morph into a day of spontaneous fun spent with unexpected people in surprising places. Some years it feels meh. But every year no matter where I am or who I’m with, I try to bring one key ingredient to the holiday table—gratitude.
Gratitude has never disappointed—even the years (and there have been quite a few) when I’ve been feeling very bah humbuggish, gratitude has swooped in to salvage the day. While mashed potatoes may have played a supporting role, it was gratitude who was the constant that lifted me up and reminded me that there is always something to be thankful for—even if it is just gratitude for the potatoes. And maybe the Chardonnay too.
Life is fast paced and can feel tumultuous and unsettling. Politics have become incredibly divisive even within our own families. You can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely. Whether you’re crammed around a table overflowing with bickering family or alone in your apartment, you have access to gratitude. You have the ability to look around and feel grateful for something—the air you’re breathing, the color of the sky, the warmth of the sun on your face. May that warm your soul and remind you of the blessings you carry with you throughout Thanksgiving and all the holidays you celebrate.
This year I feel especially grateful for being safe and healthy. Hurricane Helene and Milton were reminders that everything can be swept away without warning. I’m also really grateful for all the good people who jump in, roll up their sleeves, and/or open up their wallets to help those in need. It warms my heart to see the good in the world when the news is often filled with the opposite—especially during the election cycle. Grateful to my pack–XXL, Dozer, Lucy & Josie. Happy Thanksgiving to all! XOXO
About the Author: Lori is a local writer, painter and pet lover who loves to share her experiences and expertise with our readers. She has been penning a column for the OTC for over 20 years. Please follow Lori online on Medium for more missives like this.