Day 2: My Favorite Holiday
And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
Luke 1:56
Thanksgiving is arguably my favorite holiday. Sure Christmas offers pretty packages waiting under a festive tree, but Thanksgiving offers the best present of all: Time. Let me walk you through a traditional Thanksgiving day in my family. Every year since college I have participated in my city’s Turkey Trot--a 5k race that joins together locals who are excited to jump start their day of gluttony with a brisk run up and down the main drag, allowing them to enter the rest of their day feeling somewhat accomplished.
No matter what day of the year it is, I love starting my morning with a run--that gives you a little insight into my personality. Two years ago I ran the Turkey Trot and then came home and announced to my family that I was pregnant with my third son. Last year the weather was unseasonably cold and rainy--truly miserable for a fun run on an otherwise lazy indoor day. Most of my family hoped I would opt out, allowing them to also stay home cozied up next to the fire on the gloomy holiday morning. Instead I wore all the layers and showed up to a less than half-full attendance to the event. Once I got past not being able to feel my feet for the first mile it turned out to be a great time. The point is that I love this run. This year I’m confident it won’t happen. Yet another holiday tradition forced to fold under the pressure of pandemic.
Next on the itinerary is always nothing. Yep, nothing. The rest of the day is just one big blank slate until we eat Thanksgiving dinner sometime between 4-6, always depending on how quickly the turkey decides to cook. We have the luxury of eating at any time because there is nothing else going on. So why is this day so sacred to me? It’s not the run. It’s not the food--as a vegetarian who also doesn’t do dairy I’ve basically obliterated the decadent options to devour at dinner. It’s the time. It’s that there are no distractions on Thanksgiving Day. There is nowhere else you are supposed to be. And with all that time and no distractions I am forced to slow down. It allows me to focus on my loved ones with no other motives of accomplishment.
In Luke 1 Mary visits Elizabeth who is also pregnant. And as it states, Mary ends up staying with Elizabeth for quite some time. Three months. Three whole months of two pregnant women living together. That is a long time. In the verses prior, Mary sings a song of praise. She is overwhelmed at the continued revelation that she is holding within her womb the Son of God. And she is so overcome with emotion that she rejoices with her words. And then she stays with her family. I can only imagine that this was a time of true praise and thankfulness for both women.
The true spirit of Thanksgiving is to survey all that is around me and to give thanks. In a holiday season that can create a current pushing me quickly towards consuming and spending and looking forward to starting over in a new year, Thanksgiving offers me a lifeboat to step into, to escape the momentum and to simply enjoy those around me.
Questions:
What is your relationship with Thanksgiving?
What does Thanksgiving day look like in your family? Is it the same every year or does it change?
If you could add or take away one thing from your Thanksgiving day what would it be?
How can you slow down and give thanks this Thanksgiving?
