This week we celebrate Thanksgiving, the one day set aside to give thanks. This Holiday has been celebrated many different ways in my lifetime.My earliest memories of Thanksgiving would be at my Grandparents home in Modesto. Thanksgiving was always odd to me as a child, we would travel to grandmas just to eat, no presents like at Christmas. Then our family decided to make the trek to Garden Grove CA for Thanksgiving. I believe most of my childhood and early adulthood Thanksgivings were down there. My folks would take us to Disneyland on the Wed before. It was great. Then seeing all my cousins and Aunts and Uncles and my Grandparents on my dads side and we always ate Dinner at GreatGrandma Burns House. She may of been kind of old, but she was for sure still in charge.
One year she told of of a miracle that happened before we all got there. G-Grandma always make a berry cobbler for Thanksgiving. Her kitchen has all the modern conveniences of the 1950s. Her oven was the over the stove kind. Grandma was a short lady so she had to reach to use the oven. The oven had buzzed to tell her the cobbler was finished. As she reached up to get the cobbler, she tilted the cobbler just a little too far and it had not set up to well and the scalding cobbler splashed down all on her arms and chest and neck only clothing protection was the fashionable Mumus she wore. She immediately said 'Jesus im in trouble, help me'. She put the cobbler in the sink and proceeds to wash herself. As she did she thought she would see burns and skin removed. But as she washed it off there were no burns and she was totally Protected! PTL!!! When G-Grandma passed away or treks to So Cal ended and began the Thanksgiving at my mom and dads, which is still where we have it today. At first is seemed weird, having this celebration at the place i lived at. No where to travel to feel like a vagabond. Now people would come to our house. And not just family. People from my church who had no where to go to, would be invited. Then my brother moved and he would come home for Thanksgiving, some times he would bring my Grandma for So Cal. Now he brings his family.For a period of 7 Thanksgivings I was incarcerated. The first of these was at San Quentin. I had only been sentenced several days, and here I was alone. In a cell with a complete stranger. Knowing my family was at my parents home, I was here. That day came and ended and so did 6 other Thanksgivings. They did get better as I became acclimated, but still felt left out of the festivities happening with out me. I would usually get a 15 min call and I would get to speak to everyone in the house. It was during these years of my life I really began to appreciate Thanksgiving. Thankful to have a family that supported me. Thankful to a God that sustained me and never left me alone.
The first Thanksgiving 'home' was super special. This began the season of having Tur duc en. Here I was surrounded by my family. My brother and his family, my wife to be and her daughter. and my parents. It was noisey, energetic, and emotional and one of the best in my life.
Today I and my family now take the 15 min trek to my folks home to meet up with my brothers family. This will be the 6th year we have had Turducen. It will still be energetic and loud with a lot of talking and laughing. I always take a moment to think about the Thanksgivings of the past. Im Thankful for each and everyone of them. Thursday will be the next one. I wonder what memories await.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
