A Thanksgiving Check-In

Looking back, looking ahead.

Lake Tahoe, 2015

For the majority of the 16 years I lived in Los Angeles I did not spend Thanksgiving there. I can only think of 3 off the top of my head, although an exhaustive year-by-year review of photos may jog my memory as to if there was one or two more.

Instead of playing golf or going for a bike ride by the beach, I chose to hop in my car(or whatever I was driving for work) and head north up I-5 or CA 395 to Truckee, CA where I had lived for a few winters after high school. The first couple of years the primary motivation was to go snowboarding with a bunch of friends I didn’t get to see often, then it narrowed to visiting one friend in particular and doing Thanksgiving either with his mom or dad, sometimes both which became known internally as “The Double Turkey Years”. It was during this period that I really came to appreciate Thanksgiving in a new way. I imagine that everyone goes through this to some degree in their mid-to-late 20’s or early-30’s, as perspective is gained and you actually have enough life experience to bring about meaningful reflection. What that reflection yielded in my life was a better grasp of what real gratitude is and how much fulfillment it can bring a person.

There was one Thanksgiving marked by tragedy within my group of friends back in Vermont and the support that we received from the local community as we figured out how to support each other, as well as the family of our suddenly departed friend, it brought into sharp focus the power of true gratitude, thankfulness, appreciation, whatever you want to call it. It’s been 14 years and I still remember how certain people showed up for me and my friends. I can’t overstate how my understanding of our little community and communities in general shifted after that time. What I firmly believe is that you have your family and then your chosen family, sometimes the former is there for you, sometimes the latter, sometimes both. Around this time of year we become acutely aware of who we’re spending time with, it’s just part of the rhythm of life as we near the end of another year. With that in mind I say to all of you, appreciate the ones around your table or the table you are a guest at. Enjoy the company of those near and dear to you, do not take it for granted. Give thanks for what got you where you are and for whatever’s to come.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

-AM

See Ya’ll Saturday With Another Post!