I love a feel of togetherness about Thanksgiving, a feel of appreciation and genuine love of life. This holiday is about being welcomed and welcoming others. I guess that´s why it is so dear to immigrants as well US natives.
Spending my whole day in the kitchen working on a giant turkey, mashed potatoes and desert that turned out nicely by the way… Somehow I wasn´t feeling great after all, I felt hurt not for myself but for someone else. Someone who had nowhere to go on this thanksgiving night. I know that this day is meant to be for the nearest and the dearest of them all. But would you personally mind having someone at a dinner table who is not that close to you if you know for a fact that this person will be staying at home alone? You are far from being enemies. You’ve hanged out a couple of times: housewarming party, bars and dance-out nights. You’ve even had some private deep conversations… And now you don’t want to share a piece of bread with him?
I would invite him in a heartbeat but my roommate wasn’t that understanding either me or him.. why? – I just don’t wanna see his face…
Alright plan B then. I don’t know why but it started to turn into a personal cause for me. I felt involved, I cared…
So I called up a mutual ” friend” ( and you’ll understand why I’m using quotes in a second) who was hosting a thanksgiving dinner and told him upfront. You know we can’t have him over, my roommate will be mad. May be you could invite him? Otherwise he will be staying alone…
My ‘friend’ showed no sympathy whatsoever. What I got was a sharp and heartless respond: We had our list of guests approved two weeks before Thanksgiving. We treat this holiday very seriously here. It is a family thing, you know. Sorry, don’t bother asking me why. But no…
What is this all about? Did your guest also have to undergo a background check and a clearance?
I was upset for that poor fellow who had to spend this day alone, for myself because I couldn’t say anything to my roommate to change her ming ( even though I tried) and for the spirit of Thanksgiving itself.
In my ideal world this holiday came about as a day when people from different walks of life, nationalities and religions gather together to celebrate life, that is abundant, blissful and kind.
Hope you will always be surrounded by kind, caring people who are open to share what they have.
Happy Thanksgiving!
ARTnCULTURA 