As I type this I'm in the air somewhere between Atlanta and Dallas. It's Thanksgiving 2012, and as I've mentioned I'm on my way to spend the holiday with my mom. Honestly, there isn't much that could have pulled me out of bed in Charleston at 3:30am today. I was exactly where I wanted to be, doing exactly what I wanted to be doing. But here I am....in between naps.
As I always do, I'll take time to give thanks. I'm thankful for my health, for my life, for the people in my life, and for each day. I'm thankful for people who come and go through my life, carried in and out by circumstance and life flow. Some people come into our lives and then leave, and I think its important to appreciate those connections.
I'm thankful for the many blessings I enjoy but probably take for granted. And I'm thankful for potential - for possibilities that lay ahead.
Nov 24 - DFW Airport
I can't believe that it's only two days since I started this trip. I'm at the airport...waiting to fly home. I got here with plenty of extra time to spare not knowing how busy things would be but it's really not all that bad. As I type this I'm having Soup and Salad in a TGI Fridays embedded in the airport.
The weather for this trip has been stellar....bright sunny skies, warm days. For some reason I'm chilly so coffee and soup are on my lunch menu. I think the crud that was making me feel yucky a few weeks ago is still hanging on - hasn't totally gone away.
Everything about the trip was wonderful. Every single thing. I'm glad I came. But I'm looking forward to being at home again, too. These seem like the best kinds of trips.
Thanksgiving day was crazed. To finish what I had started writing, I was up early early early to fly to Dallas. I landed at 8:30, and finally got to my mom's around 10. Traditionally, I'm the Thanksgiving cook so I sent mom a shopping list earlier in the week and as soon as I got in the house and we had a few minutes to relax it was time to start slicing, mixing, stuffing, stirring, baking, and generally trying to ensure everything got done at the same time.
Mission accomplished. Wonderful, wonderful meal. But by 9pm I was stuffed, tired, and relaxed. It was great to see mom. She seems none the worse for her pacemaker procedure from a few weeks ago. And, thanks to a really wonderful man in her life, she's the happiest I've seen in a long, long time.
I was up before 5am on Black Friday, and at the mall less than an hour later.
I wish I could explain why I keep doing the Black Friday thing but there really is no rational reason. I didn't need anything. I wasn't busting down the door for anything. I'll admit that I did buy a few things but I'd be hard pressed to argue that there's anything sensible about getting up at that hour that would make it worthwhile to shop. For anything. But there I am - pretty much every year.
There were several highlights. I went to the MAC store and chatted with someone for a half hour - got some things I can't get at the MAC store in Charleston. I bought myself a ring. My favorite silversmith jeweler is there and I don't own much jewelry. But each year I'll pick something that catches my eye or feels symbolic. The price point is $50.
This year I got a pinky ring....a simple, interlocked chain. The beauty is in it's simplicity, in it's unending-ness. It's so comfortable I forget I'm even wearing it.
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| My pinky ring, and a tired Donna on Black Friday. |
As I say - there's symbolism to it. And, just between you and me, at some point I can see myself giving it away to someone. I don't have a "who" or a "why" in mind at the moment....but for some reason I can imagine that. We'll see.
Mom had a long list of things for me to do to help, as usual. I brought the Christmas decorations down out of the attic. I washed her hair for her. I moved her summer clothes to the spare bedroom and her winter clothes to take their place. She needed some help on her PC so I helped there, too. All in all, we got quite a bit done over the short time I was there. It's good "bonding" stuff.
So now - my flight is scheduled to leave in 50 minutes so I better make my way over to the gate. I'm hopeful that the next words you'll hear from me are from home. But the stay will be a short one - I've got a crazy work week ahead. That's ok. I'm feeling good right now so I'll face it when it comes.
My speed of life is pretty brisk right now. I wouldn't have it any other way.
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