Thanksgiving post #41231908

This has been a week for appreciating what I have, sort of regardless of the season but also conveniently tied into it.

E.g. Wednesday night, I was in the ER waiting room waiting for a friend of a friend, L, to find out why her stomach was so swollen and hurt so damn much. She ended up having to stay all of Thanksgiving in the hospital, waiting for the specialist to return from his holiday. L and her husband are jobless and crashing somewhere rent-free right now after moving from Idaho with $500 to their name. With only a few words of explanation from me, my mom and sister eagerly helped pack up a big bagful of our Thanksgiving food – before we’d even sat down to dinner ourselves – so L’s husband could stay at the hospital with her without starving/squandering precious money on food. Turkey included, and my sister made a special trip to the grocery store to buy a couple thermoses for cider and coffee. I am ridiculously proud of my mom and sister, and also very aware that my only problem yesterday was fitting into my schedule (and stomach, ouch) all the dinners to which I was invited before I had to head home so I could work today.

E.g. Not to get mushy about my family, but we have it pretty good considering where all we’ve been since my parents filed for divorce more than a decade ago. For example, we usually get along, and agree that life’s going to be totally sweet when the Death Panels finally arrive. My sister and I go for hour-long walks in suburbia to catch up and drink soccer-mom-power-walk coffee. My brother, 18, shocks us all with a pitch-perfect Carl Sagan impression during a game of ApplesToApples, straight outta the high school Cosmos videos. And while I’m not sure there will ever be a way to celebrate Thanksgiving such that both parents will feel like they got their fair share, these things seem to balance out in the long run.

E.g. The basics. 10 fingers, 10 toes, my 3 new cavities will mostly be covered by insurance (though still cost too much), amazing friends, strong legs, employment in industry related to my college major and lifelong ambitions, exciting and/or meaningful extracurriculars.