Thanksgiving Faces

THE HOST asked me to bring collard greens and sweet potato pie. So I did. But when I got there, he put me to work, mashing potatoes, finishing the squash puree, glazing the carrots, making the gravy, baking the rolls. He took care of the roasted turkey with oyster dressing, the pineapple ham, the pearl onions. Up to 12 of us, many who had no other place to go, gave thanks over all that abundance.

I'm grateful for my beloved husband and my friends, real and virtual. For the memories of my father which make me smile and cry. For my mother in Milwaukee and my sister in California who called nonstop for cooking tips. Not to mention a whole host of birth relatives all over the country who probably won't get a phone call but who, nonetheless, live vividly in my heart this evening.

Mostly, I'm grateful for the gift of my health. As I sit and reminisce about all of my ancestors and my close friends who are now ancestral, I must be thankful for still being here, alive and well, and enjoying this heaven on earth.

And last, but certainly not least, I'm grateful for all of you for stopping by and reading my musings.