Thanksgiving with family

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I went to visit my mom in the Bronx. This is our annual tradition, we always spend Thanksgiving together. Back when we were younger, we would usually go to my “fake” aunt’s place. I call her my “fake” aunt because there is no blood shared between us, but she’s more family than some real aunts I have.

As we all aged, had our own children and moved away, that’s changed. It is a small place and it started getting a little too crowded with all the same people as before, plus their significant others and multiple kids. LOL. In addition to that, distance played a huge role, so over time, the kids, (us) just stopped showing up and doing our own things.

Our own thing, for me, means spending it with mom. This is a non-negotiable for me. Even when she was fighting for her life many years ago, laying in a hospital bed, sound asleep, I alone stood watch over her defenseless form on Thanksgiving day. I stepped out for a few and started to aimlessly walk around the solitary area where her hospital was until I found the one, lone open Chinese restaurant. I bought some spare rib tips with pork fried rice and an egg roll. I then came back, sat down across from my mama bear and ate the bounty with which I was lucky to be blessed. Seriously, it was like 9pm on Thanksgiving day, I was lucky to find any open store.

This year, the celebration was a bit smaller. My sister has temporarily (maybe permanently) relocated to Florida. That one stung quite a bit, I mean, of all the people I spend this time of the year with, my mom and my baby sister are always there. That’s just our thing. This year my sister was missing and that sucked. At least we did Facetime a bit.

That being said, my son, wife and Peppa came with me, the ever present Lucy was around, and of course, our gracious host, my Mama Bear. We had a nice, quiet time together and I am grateful. Life is constantly changing, but as long as their is breath in our bodies, I will always spend Thanksgiving with my mom.