“Mom… We got to have popcorn at school today. To celebrate Thanksgiving!”
“What are we paying this place for {giggling}? I would think you would have turkey. Or pumpkin something. I guess I am unaware of the ever-popular and common tradition of Thanksgiving popcorn.” {read: that’s cute, Barrett, but I think you might be confused}
“Mooooom… The Indians didn’t just bring turkey to Thanksgiving. They brought popcorn to the first Thanksgiving. And they believed that there were little people inside the kernel that made it pop. But don’t worry mom, there’s actually just a little droplet of water that forces the popcorn to pop under pressure… So we need to take popcorn to both Thanksgivings. Like the Indians”.
Read: Duh, mom.
It’s Thanksgiving. Turkey Day. Actually, for us, it’s Two Turkey Day. Which, to a lot of people, sounds awful. But we have come to love it. Because it’s what we do. It’s what Adam and I have done for every Thanksgiving we’ve lived in Nebraska. It’s what we did as parents to one. As parents to two. And what we foresee as our tradition as parents to three {man, we’re getting old}. With two families within driving distance and two very healthy sets of grandparents to our boys, we just don’t know it any other way.
We have friends who will celebrate with every last member of their extended families. And others who will spread their celebrations out over the next few weeks. We have friends who will take a vacation to get away from it all. And some who will work. Some who will throw back shots of Wild Turkey. Others who will finish turkey in time to begin Hanukkah festivities. A few who will eat tomorrow as they watch the Huskers beat the Hawkeyes {see what I did there?:)}. Or like Adam had when he spent his first Thanksgiving in Austin, we have friends who will celebrate the day by getting together, at some point, with friends. Friends that to them have become just as special, and perhaps, know them better than their families.
And that is why I love holidays. Specifically, Thanksgiving. Because it’s for everyone. It’s a one-size fits all Holiday that everyone can make fit their own life and traditions and circumstances. And no matter what the celebration looks like, it’s likely a little different than just your run of the mill day.
So if you have thanks to give today, don’t keep them for yourself.
Give your thanks away.
Share your gratitude.
Be nice.
Tell one person today you are thankful for them.
Because life is not constant. And in a year’s time, you could be in a very different place. Maybe one that you have less thanks for. And maybe one that is abundantly better than you can even imagine right now.
And with that, I leave you with the words of a wise-beyond-his-years four year old.
Go.
Give thanks.
And eat popcorn.
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