Thanksgiving Remembrance

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday.  It was a relaxing day spent with immediate family.  There was no talk of diets, and lots of delicious food in which to indulge.  After dinner, my sister and I would pour Bailey's into my mother's coffee and watch her get tipsy.  We'd laugh so hard that I'd have to run to the bathroom, or else! I especially loved that last day of work before Thanksgiving because the anticipation of a four day break made everybody pretty jovial at school.

I will never forget one pre-Thanksgiving Wednesday that was not  going well.  It was an ugly day, cold, damp, dark, depressing.  I woke up late and had to rush to school without breakfast or a shower.  Ugh.  I was grumpy all day, and so were the kids. While doing afternoon hall duty at our little corner, Dottie and I did nothing but complain.  She had locked her keys inside her car, and we all know what a PITA that is. I was dreading the drive to PA in the dark and in the rain. 

For some reason, a little sixth grader that neither of us knew, stopped to talk to us.  I remember her bright smile and her shining eyes; she was so happy.  I also remember that she was covered in ugly bruises. Those marks signaled one thing to me, child abuse.  I didn't know if her teachers had already reported it;  but all teachers are mandated reporters, so I started to gently question her in my attempt to find out who had hurt her.

Nobody had hurt her, she explained.  She had leukemia.  I didn't know what to say.  So, I hugged her and wished her a happy holiday before she skipped to her locker and headed home.  Talk about feeling shame!  Dottie and I could barely look at each other, and tears filled our eyes as we shook our heads and sighed.  My attitude towards life, the drive home, rainy days, and early darkness changed in that instant.  I was very thankful to realize how healthy and blessed I truly was.

On Monday I learned she had passed away that weekend.  There's no describing the grief I felt; it still stabs today.  I wrote her family a letter about their angel.  I explained how I'd only met her once and she changed my life.  I could only imagine the effect she'd had upon the people who had known her a lifetime.  I sent money to help with her funeral arrangements.  And that was it; I never heard from her family.  Life went on.

Months later, someone casually mentioned they had seen the letter I wrote to her family.  The family had framed it, and it was hanging on the wall of their home.  Talk about feeling humbled.

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.  Don't let the hectic preparations for the Big Exciting Holiday Experience get in the way of celebrating and appreciating the blessings of your life.  Don't be afraid to eat too much; life is a banquet!