Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

(Edgar Albert Guest, 1881-1959)

Gettin' together to smile an' rejoice,
An' eatin' an' laughin' with folks of your choice;
An' kissin' the girls an' declarin' that they
Are growin more beautiful day after day;
Chattin' an' braggin' a bit with the men,
Buildin' the old family circle again;
Livin' the wholesome an' old-fashioned cheer,
Just for awhile at the end of the year.

Greetings fly fast as we crowd through the door
And under the old roof we gather once more
Just as we did when the youngsters were small;
Mother's a little bit grayer, that's all.
Father's a little bit older, but still
Ready to romp an' to laugh with a will.
Here we are back at the table again
Tellin' our stories as women an men.

Bowed are our heads for a moment in prayer;
Oh, but we're grateful an' glad to be there.
Home from the east land an' home from the west,
Home with the folks that are dearest an' best.
Out of the sham of the cities afar
We've come for a time to be just what we are.
Here we can talk of ourselves an' be frank,
Forgettin' position an' station an' rank.

Give me the end of the year an' its fun
When most of the plannin' an' toilin' is done;
Bring all the wanderers home to the nest,
Let me sit down with the ones I love best,
Hear the old voices still ringin' with song,
See the old faces unblemished by wrong,
See the old table with all of its chairs
An' I'll put soul in my Thanksgivin' prayers.

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In the United States, Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day is an annual one-day holiday to give thanks for the things one has at the end of the harvest season. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November; the period from Thanksgiving Day to New Year's Day is often collectively referred to as the "holiday season", and the holiday itself is often nicknamed Turkey Day. (To read more on the history of Thanksgiving, go here)

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This week families will be getting together to celebrate one of the most significant holidays in America. The excitement of upcoming family reunions reminds me of home - Malaysia. Be it Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali or Christmas, I am sure you will agree with me that we all look forward to reuniting with our loved ones during those holidays.

The poem above speaks true of a typical family reunions. The laughter and joys, the teasing and bragging. We will also notice changes in some folks - older, grayer, rounder, thinner, prettier, handsomer, younger (botox injections?), etc. Some return with additions to the family - children, grandchildren, wife, girlfriend, husband, boyfriend. While others to show off someone new - wife, girlfriend, husband, boyfriend. This usually brings about a healthy dose of gossip for the rest of the family - enough to last from the first hello to the last goodbye. We also have some reunions that are laced with drama and intrigue. Drama enough to fuel a best-selling novel or TV series.

Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts. ~Author Unknown

Regardless of what a reunion brings, we all can agree that it is love of a family that pulls everyone together. No matter where we live in this world, family brings us home.

“The love of a family is life's greatest blessing”