“You have no food. You have no family. You have no friends around you.”
That was the text I received from one of my friends on Thanksgiving.
I didn’t get mad because I knew my friend was wrong.
For the seventh straight year I was spending Thanksgiving alone in my apartment. I posted a Thanksgiving photo of myself dressed in a turkey costume on my socials wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. I sent a few texts to friends and family. I even received some pleasantries friends and family as well. I slept in. I had a “healthy” breakfast of Coco Puffs. I even spent 4 hours reading a good book! The morning was going great!
Until I received the text from above. It was shocking and not my preference to be on the receiving end. Nor did I think I deserved to be. I tried to let it go, wishing my friend a good day. But I couldn’t let it go because although word-for-word it was true; it wasn’t actually true.
For the first time in seven Thanksgivings, I didn’t feel alone. I felt…together. Even though I’ve had a lot of ups and downs lately, I felt right where I should be, even by myself. I was perfectly okay.
The more I thought about her words, the more I disagreed. I did have food. I might not eat much or bought the traditional Thanksgiving meal; I had the food I wanted and needed. Whereas there’s so many people around our country and world that would love to have a taste of the food I had.
She was right, I had no family…in my apartment. But she didn’t know I had already talked to my brother in length that morning. The days prior, I had talked to my parents separately at least 4 times during the week. I knew where they were spending their Thanksgiving. I felt together with them, even from afar.
As for my friends, I received and sent a few texts to my closest friends. Friends don’t typically spend Thanksgiving Day together anyway. They spend it on the new “holiday”, Friendsgiving. I’m thankful to be surrounded by friends near and far. The friends I do have, we’re very close. So, the truth is…I felt together with food, family, and friends.
The last three months are a wonderful time of the year because we’re together with friends, family, and lots of food every month! It’s a time to celebration and togetherness. It’s not a time to put each other down, but rather raise each other up and remind each other through the good and bad, we are there for each other. It should never be forced or assumed what someone needs. Let’s come together and accept each other’s imperfections, have compassion, and have courage to do the right thing.
On Thanksgiving Day, even being alone, I felt I was more than enough. I felt together with friends and family near and far away!
