the power of family
thankgiving this year was bittersweet. it was the first one not spent with my parents (who moved to hawaii this summer). it was the first one with the 2 new additions to the family, coryn and quincy. it was the first one celebrated in neil and laura's new place in the oakland hills... and, with everyone rushing around fulfilling other family obligations, it was the first one not actually celebrated on thanksgiving day.
lots of firsts, lots of newness, all of it amazing.
but it got me thinking about traditions and how little of those we have left in our lives. how it used to be our parents generation that kept the various family traditions alive - giving us a sense of normalcy to our lives year after year. something to set our calendars to and rely on. how it's now up to my generation to continue those traditions and be flexible enough to allow them to evolve and develop as we do the same. how, no matter who we are in our "normal" lives, being part of family traditions serves as a powerful reminder that we're not as ugly, broken or unloveable as our internal dialog may tell us we are. that we're part of something bigger and richer and more profound than we could possibly be as mere individuals. that we are connected in a very tangible way to the world around us through the family bond and it's traditions.
... and for this i am eternally thankful.