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Tomorrow is one of my favorite childhood holidays: Thanksgiving. The fourth Thursday of November each year is more than all the food we stuff ourselves with at the dinner table. It’s about coming together with family and acknowledging the important things in life we are grateful for.

I can remember Thanksgiving growing up as a young boy. We always gathered at my grandmother’s home two miles from our home and had a big lunch with family members we don’t get to see very much. Each family brought a dish or two and reminisced about life as we waited for everyone to arrive. Once the time came, we laid out the dishes in the middle of the table and took our seats with some family members at chairs in other areas of the home.

We said the blessing and took our time eating the food that was prepared keeping in mind this was only lunch. Most of us who were within driving distance would return to have dinner the same night. I chose to eat turkey and ham at lunch with green bean casserole, dressing and cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, deviled eggs, and anything else that caught my eye. I checked out the desserts that sat on top of my grandmother’s deep freezer and decided which sweet treat I liked.

When I finished my Thanksgiving lunch, I waited for my parents and sister to enjoy the rest of their meals. We spoke to some family from out of town and left to return home until dinner. I took an afternoon nap and told my mother to wake me up when she and my father were ready to go back for dinner.

There was usually a good turnout of family when we returned for dinner. I can’t recall what I put on my plate but know it was delicious yet again. I played with others in the front yard and enjoyed catching up with other children. Once my parents finished visiting with everyone, we put another Thanksgiving behind us and headed back home.

Now that I’m an adult, times have certainly changed. My parents and sister are all flying high above, and those priceless days of being with family members at my grandmother’s home are no more. This year, I’ll have some close friends visit my home, and we will share quality time with each other.

I’m grateful for many things in life including the Lord and Jesus Christ, my home, my job, my health, and my friends, just to name a few. However, that gratitude carries a price because it’s not the same as being with my parents and sister. I miss them more than anything and wish I could have back here with me but not in the bad shape they were in.

I will try my best to visit them at the cemetery at some point soon and hopefully keep my composure when I speak to them at their gravesite. I take solace in the fact they’re having a great time in the heavenly skies above and not suffering down here.

For those of you who are in the same shoes as me, I offer you some powerful words from my heart: you are never ever alone. It may feel like it sometimes, but with the Lord and Jesus Christ, keep your head up and stay strong. I know my parents would be proud of the man I’ve grown up to be. I try my best to set a good example and live by the golden rule of treating others, as I want to be treated. My mother engrained that in me from a very early age.

As Thanksgiving draws near, I will always have my childhood memories in mind and create new ones as an adult. Emotions will likely run high at the cemetery as they always do, but if I have time to speak to my parents and sister, that will give me a little bit of relief and help comfort me.

Just remember that no matter what life throws at you, the Lord is always in control and will take care of you. I would like to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone I know and wish you all a blessed day. I don’t ask for much but am thankful to those who have kept me in your thoughts and prayers since my parents and sister departed us. You don’t know what you have until you’ve lost it. Frank, Linda, and Kim Maio, I love y’all very much and look forward to seeing you again one day.

Whether I’m happy, sad, or a combination of the two, I’ll give thanks this Thanksgiving and see what’s in store for me next. Thank you for taking the time to read my column today. God bless you and yours!