In preparation for Thanksgiving, we exerted ourselves vigorously. Cleaning the house, making much-needed repairs, adjusting the decor, stocking up on groceries, and planning out the seating and sleeping arrangements, we covered everything on our list and more. The menu was a collaborative effort, with everyone offering their favorite dishes and choosing which ones they would like to prepare. It was a blur of activity. Even the kids were caught up in the excitement, at times wanting to help and be part of it all, and at other times hollering out for attention from the adults. It was a full house. Not overly crowded but completely occupied. There were dogs, pet rats, (no cat), sisters, brothers, in-laws, children, ex’es, mothers, ex-step-mothers, boyfriends and friends. It was a community effort. Somehow, miraculously, it all came together at the same time and dinner was ready at precisely 5:00 pm. Six and a half bottles of wine later, we still had enough food left to last us three more days (which it did) and enough to share with many more people who were unable to join – grandparents, family friends, alone on the holiday – which we did. It was a feast. Every dish, delicious and having everyone there together was a delight. We didn’t have enough matching plates nor wine glasses and there was a serious shortage of forks, which meant the table was an amusing assemblage of china, formal glassware, ceramic plates, kid’s plates, gold leaf chargers, placemats and strangely, an abundance of shrimp forks (but, alas, no shrimp). We prepared turkey (infrared), ham, dressing, a variety of potatoes, squash, corn, kale, pasta (including truffle risotto!), green beans, three-sisters soup, lentils, breads and, of course, the desserts: pies (pecan, pumpkin), madeleines and a dizzying array of cheeses. Everyone had their favorite recipes: those passed down through family traditions as well as the newest flavors and techniques. The house smelled of home, fully lived and fully alive.

Laughter, screeches, a whir of chatter, munching, tasting, “try this” filled the air, harmonizing with the clanging of pots and pans, utensils, appliances opening, closing, beeping, buzzing, dinging, singing with activity and a multitude of hands moving in chorus within a small but not cramped space. Aprons, with designs made in Provence, Sevilla, Disneyworld and elsewhere adorned the myriad of chefs and added a festive flair to the hubbub. When the last timer went ‘bing’ and the final dish was pulled from the oven, we all sat down in warm anticipation of the cornucopia of flavors before us. We ate well and our stomachs aided us with a larger than usual appetite. The feast was satisfying in every way. The atmosphere was suddenly very quiet as the table was served and all began to partake of and savor the meal. It was then that I shared with everyone what I am grateful for this Thanksgiving: “I am thankful to have all of you here today. I am thankful to be alive. I am thankful that we are together.” That summed up what was understood but unspoken among many who were present – that we might not have had this time together, that I might not have made it back from Africa. Even with the gravity of this possibility, we nevertheless found it remarkably easy to give way to levity. We were consciously present, wanting to be in no other place than here and now. And, like one’s wedding day, it passed so quickly that by evening, we were in awe that the night was nearly over. Smiles, hugs, tipsy giggles and a few evening smokes later, the crowd began to wane and there were only two of us awake by midnight. We beamed with flush faces from a satiated palate and the warmth of a very good day.