These pies are representative of my feelings.
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This year, my Thanksgiving is taking a different shape. This year I’m doing what for years I’ve watched people do on TV shows. I’m going to serve the homeless a meal (Yes, I’ve done it before, with a wonderful group of friends and one of my very favorite college professors… after we picked up a hitchhiker and worked our asses off at the shelter, but I haven’t done it on Thanksgiving.).
For Thanksgivings previous, I’ve hurried and rushed and fought weather and flights and traffic to get home to the Midwest. I have always skipped breakfast, helped with the fixin’s, slid up to the table to gorge myself and then been overwhelmed by dishes and miserably full and terribly bored for the rest of the day. But this year, it’ll be different. This year, I’m putting my holiday to good use, for others, and for me.
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No, I won’t get to see my family (I will for Christmas), except for my Godmother (who happens to be my older & wiser cousin, friend & best gift my parents ever gave me, and she has always wanted to serve a Thanksgiving meal too), who is KICKASS. Kickass in that she slips me vodka money in church. THAT kickass. She’s my cheerleader, my confidant, my best friend and my second mom. She’s the mom I call when I hate what my first mom has to say. She’s ALWAYS, ALWAYS on my side and NEVER, NEVER plays devil’s advocate, gives unsolicited advice, warms up my sins for breakfast or passes judgment on my decisions. She had a FedEx man meet me at the back door of my (dry) sorority house on my way to 9am class to deliver me a 1.75 of Absolut for my 21st birthday, and she puts Absolut shooters in my Christmas stocking. She understands that a girl’s got some Absolut neeeeeds. God Bless the Godmother.
The only chemistry I studied in college. Unless boys count.
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This year, it’s more important to me/for me to focus on something besides food and laziness. This year, I need a day that ISN’T about me… I need to not tell family member after family member “what I’m up to,” or that “NO, I don’t have a job yet,” or to tell them story after story (no matter how hilarious & entertaining they may be) about my shitty summer or shithole apartment where nearly all unlucky/unfortunate things have happened.
I need this day to be about something other than what I don’t have. I need a day where I can see right in front of my eyes that I am privileged, lucky, fortunate, blessed (I knoooow it, but I need it to be tangible, you know?). I need a day where I can serve others and share a meal with people who have been crapped on but who most likely will have a better outlook and attitude than I do. I need a day with people who see things differently. I need a day where putting others first will fill my spirit with good, with love, with calm.
And then, I’ll have me some damn pie.
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What are your Turkey Tofurkey Weekend plans?
XOXO,
B
i make no apologies 
