Thanksgiving made me stop and consider some important family relationships.
My husband's father is very dear to me. He lives just a few miles away and takes such an interest in my children and me.
He was born during The Great Depression, raised in rural Alabama, eventually married and then did quite well for himself.
He was brought up in a time when family lived near each other. They CARED about and for each other.
I imagine on holidays like Thanksgiving they probably enjoyed a good meal and then everyone rocked and talked. I can see it now. I wish I could have lived during that time.
Our lives are hectic and disconnected now.
As I sat with my father-in-law after dinner he told me of his upbringing. We talked about how we are disconnected from so many family members today, and we spoke of the disintegration of the American family.
I don't think we realize the price of "progress".
As everyone sat in another room watching a movie, I was blessed with the gift of time to listen, talk, and feel CONNECTED.
My own parents live 12 hours from me, so I miss a lot of holidays with them.
I gained so much encouragement and comfort from the wisdom of this nearly 80 year old man.
I wonder how much people today just stop and LISTEN. Do we sit and treasure those moments with older family members?
I think it was all the more precious to me because my own children are growing at the speed of light.
Will they be able to slow down enough to spend time with their parents in 30 or 40 years?
Or will we be even more disconnected then?
Growing Turkeys
Sitting at Thanksgiving dinner we were talking about our most recent read aloud, The Great Turkey Walk. (Add this to your list of "must reads", but the way. It's a GIFT.)
As the kids were chattering about the book, granddaddy piped up and said,
"Did you know I used to grow turkeys?"
That got everyone's attention (especially my seven year old!).
{I think he wondered how you could grow a turkey}
We listened to the story of how grandaddy had raised eight turkeys one year, and then they ate one for Thanksgiving. Imagining him "growing turkeys" was pretty funny.
After dinner we were looking through photo albums.
Guess what we found?
What a memory.
Are we building enough of these memories in our families?
Are we slowing down enough and being STILL ENOUGH to truly allow those memories to be formed?
...just a little something to think about as we are on the doorstep of Advent, a time for making the most precious of memories.
How do you make lasting memories with your family?