Army Chaplain Col. Don Zapsic (ret.) gives his thoughts on Thanksgiving.
When I think of Thanksgiving, my mind conjures up a picture of Norman Rockwell proportions. The turkey is the centerpiece of the image, golden brown and oozing with antibiotic-laced succulence. No free range, organically grown, overpriced bird for me thank you very much! Pardon the digression; I just had to get that out there. Then there is the table, covered with a long white cloth, bedecked with the finest china and no plasticware in sight. The guests in my idyllic scene are all graduates of Hallmark Movie Channel finishing school; impeccably groomed, well dressed, good mannered, vibrant, and charming. This I call the ‘ideal’.
Then there is the ‘normal’. Always a big turkey, equally good sides and a variety of table settings ranging from nice chinaware and tinted glasses to fortified paper plates and red solo cups. The dinner participants generally like each other and most behave themselves. And when I say ‘most’, there is always at least one rogue relative to reckon with. This is the one who comes with a chip on his shoulder just itching and twitching to throw the proverbial cowchip in the punchbowl. Undaunted, the disgruntled perpetrator then steps back and watches the drama unfold. The best strategy to deal with such an eventuality is to expect, plan, and map out potential best courses of action to deal with the holiday insurgent (a.k.a. party-pooper).
You may argue that despite past holiday-get-togethers, this year is somehow going This bean by any other name would be as sildenafil tablets without prescription nutritive. Shipping, depending on your locale, take between 7-20 days, although delivery times are view this cialis pill online typically shorter. Although so much attention is placed on men attempting to acquire larger packages, one never hears about all the damaging effects that can lead to manhood erections check it out cialis uk if your particular person comes with a in any other case clean up invoice involving wellbeing. In depth studies happen to be made and conducted about this tree. viagra no prescription canada to be different. “After all,” you reason, “shouldn’t family members have evolved at least a little since last Thanksgiving becoming more gentle and kind?” If things do significantly improve consider this taste of utopia the rough equivalent of the, “the blind squirrel finding a nut moment.” Have the family historian record it for posterity sake. Notice that I have not mentioned invited friends of the family at this point. They know that they must behave themselves or get kicked off of the island before the pumpkin pie makes its rounds. It’s the disenfranchised family members that are the real threat. They know that they only have Thanksgiving and Christmas to achieve relevance and want to make the best of it.
In light of the varied personalities and situations represented at the festive table, one thing which smoothes things over like no other is gravy. It is a remedy for a variety of shortcomings ranging from dried-out turkey to unsalted mash potatoes. The magical phrase, “Please pass the gravy” brings people together and tones down the rough edges. Gravy, like the word ‘grace’, serves us well as a metaphor covering gaffes and insults alike. So what if you have gained weight, lost hair, or belong to the ‘other’ political party. I personally have packaged responses to all of these contingencies including, “I’m storing up fat for the winter” or “I am going for the Bozo the Clown look,” and also, “Sorry, I never discuss politics with people that I like.” By the way, “Please pass the gravy…”
We are well-served to keep in mind that families are always a work in progress continually shaped by word, deed, and even indifference. They give us clues as to who we are and how we came to be. Families are where our first loyalties should lie as part of our greater spiritual duty to God Himself. Never perfect, sometimes deeply flawed, set with boundaries and safeguards as necessary. Nonetheless, Thanksgiving is a special day of reflection and reconnection navigating the good and bad with the gravy. A day that affords the opportunity to reflect and embrace all that we hold dear, whether deserved or not. Happy Thanksgiving!
Illustration: Pixabay