Giving Thanks

Yesterday we got back from a week long trip to see my family for Thanksgiving.  Last week was also a time of celebrating birthdays in my family: first my brother, then my husband, actually on Thanksgiving this week, and finally my father.  It was a full week, filled with travel, excitement, fun, and weariness.  But most of all, it was a week that was.

We had the opportunity to spend time with friends and family we hadn't seen in six months or longer.  We had the ability to have some heart to heart talks.  We were able to encourage one another and see how we have grown.  We were able to laugh and share our concerns with each other.  We had the chance to be a family.

The kids all had a blast, staying up to all hours of the night with cousins that they had counted the days to see.  They performed a play loosely based on Barbie's Mariposa video, which seems to be the girls' favorite video save the new Tinkerbell.  They played with trains and books; they fought over who got to play with which toy when.  They fussed when they annoyed each other, but they got over it quickly and were all too sad to leave when it was time.

We got to see my dad, who looked better than he has had the last couple of years.  He was trying to communicate with us with gestures and expressions.  He wondered over and over again who this tow-headed boy was that seemed to belong to us.  Benjamin definitely takes after his daddy, as there is nothing De Benedetto-ish about his features whatsoever, but I think my dad eventually got the picture that he belonged to me.  We never know from visit to visit if he will still be here the next scheduled trip, so we are grateful for every memory my family is able to have with him.

Of course Thanksgiving is a time of reflection, but it shouldn't be limited to just one day of the year.  We are family, and even though we are only able to gather together twice a year, we enjoy what time we do have to spend together.  Each moment we get to spend with one another is another chance to grow closer as a family. 

We are all children at heart in one area or another, and I think I could learn a few lessons from this past week.  Don't be afraid to speak up for what is yours in a kind manner.  Be willing to share what you have with someone else, because it will be returned to you eventually.  Run, laugh, enjoy life, but not at the expense of others.  Watch a piece of life and when you see something you want to emulate, go ahead and put on the play, act it out for someone else to enjoy.  It's alright to be flexible with your schedules once in a while:  the unexpected doesn't have to be scary, it can be lots of fun.  Go outdoors and let the sunshine penetrate your pores, warming you up.  Come inside to the arms of safety when a cold, wet wind appears out of nowhere.  It's ok to be sad to say goodbye to someone you love even though you know you will see them again.

Most of all, be thankful for every single little drop of sunshine that enters your life.  You don't know how long it will last, but you do know that it brings life to your bones and warmth to your heart.  Look for the sunshine after the rain and see the rainbow that appears.  Take nothing for granted, but be grateful for all.  That's what I learned this week.