My mom sent me a picture of her empty dining room table.
The table where me and my 4 siblings celebrated Thanksgiving since I was a little kid. The table where my grandfather Ash shared stories of his time in the Merchant Marines.
The table where the kids helped add to the decor with their handmade paper turkeys. The table where we all took turns to share what we were thankful for, even if it felt awkward or uncomfortable.
The table that was filled with my mom’s cooking, my grandmother's cranberry sauce and contributions from others.
The table used to be full.
The table is empty today. My grandmother has passed. My grandfather too fragile to make the trip from Maine, my siblings and I all celebrating on our own.
The table is empty, but amidst the sadness we must hold onto all the ways it has been full.
Wonderful moments happened at that table, but they don’t stay at the table, they become part of our life story forever.
No matter what your table looks like today, I wish you a day of recognizing how full and loved and lucky you are. We can be sad and still celebrate. We can feel down and still know deeply all the ways that we are loved and lucky.
From my table to yours, I wish you a day of warm memories and love.
Thank you mom for all the years of all the effort and love to make our table so full.
There's no one way to be grateful, we live a life of gratitude and honor by choosing to fully celebrate the day we have in front of us right now.
Thank you for being here, part of my table. It's a privilege to have you.
xx Lori