Thanksgiving didn’t become my favorite holiday until I reached college. Maybe it’s being two hours away from home, or the college diet that made me change my mind, but Christmas just always seemed so magical growing up. The gifts, the movies, the tradition of scratching off lottery tickets at my aunt’s house on Christmas Eve.
Yet, as I’ve reached the prime years of my young adulthood I solemnly comprehend why I no longer hold Christmas on the same pedestal as years before. The passing of my mother in 2015 drastically changed my perspective on the holidays. As with age comes maturity, I’ve realized that these celebrations are less about receiving material goods, but about taking a second and looking around at what we already have.
My mother’s favorite holiday was Thanksgiving. When she could, she loved to indulge. Whether this meant indulging in delicious food, or conversation, she loved every minute of it. She had a fascination with people, and she definitely transcended this quality on to me.
The first two years after my mother’s passing I spent the holidays mostly trying not to focus on her absence. It was difficult, and I found myself trying to hold it together as my family would go around the table to say what we were thankful for. However, Thanksgiving has become my favorite time of the year because it’s a moment where I can truly sit back, remove myself and all of the stressors that the world tries me with, and shed gratitude towards the people I have and had in my life.
As we embark on the paths to our young lives it’s easy to neglect sharing our appreciation for those we love – specifically our parents. These are the people who began our stories, and are often giving us the opportunities to continue writing our own.
Gratitude can be shown in a multitude of ways and is definitely something that shouldn’t be given only on one day. Show interest in their lives! Simply listening to your mother or father’s stories shows appreciation. They’ve lived through so much, and even if they’re reluctant to share, it proves that you care. Not to mention you will learn something in the process.
Express how you are feeling with your parents. Literally thank them for all that they do! This does not have to be on a special occasion but truly whenever you feel it to be most appropriate. I wish I would have thanked my mother more in the time we shared together. As I am older, I find myself expressing more gratitude towards my father to avoid making the same mistakes and because he deserves to hear it. We often struggle with staying as in touch with our parents as we get older, so just making that effort to tell them you love them will not go unappreciated.
Remember that time is a precious thing. Unfortunately not everyone is granted the same amount of time on this Earth with their parents, so with that in mind remember to treasure the time you do have with them. Don’t always search for the big moments, because the little, unique ones will always stick with you. Forgive them if they’ve done wrong, because relaying unconditional love is so important.