Thanksgiving
This Thanksgiving I went to the beach with my family to scatter my mom's ashes. It was hard, and I hate that she is gone, but it was one of the best and purest Thanksgivings of my life. Often the substance of the holiday is choked out by preparations and pleasantries, feasting and football--all the good things that stand in the way of the great. This year that was not the case. This year we pieced together a meal of store-bought ham and pies, boxed macaroni and cheese, and frozen chicken nuggets. My aunt made a salad and baked some sweet potatoes, and my stepsister baked homemade chocolate-chip cookies. It was filling and festive and tasty and more than enough. We welcomed nine kids and ten adults into the living room and balcony of a small condo, and somehow there was the perfect amount of space for belly-laughing, fellowshipping, and filling our bellies. There was no wine, no adult-beverage to be seen, and somehow I didn't miss it. I can't speak for everyone there, b...