My husband and I haven’t celebrated Thanksgiving together in over 15 years.  My sister-in-law reigns supreme in his family, and she hates me.  Instead, I either stay home alone and eat regional African food that he can’t stand (I think I was African in a previous life), or I go somewhere where I am loved.  Some years are more difficult than others when it comes to either staying home or feeling loved.

This year, I really needed the love, and I have it.  I won’t be able to sit at the table in my pajamas, and the food will be traditional instead of African.  I even cooked down one of my harvest pumpkins and will make a pie.  I love pie!  Thanksgiving will be a happy holiday this year.

So I ask myself: Why are some years different from other years?  What’s the secret for having annual serenity rather than chaos?  The holiday season is when most elderly people pass away.  What makes holidays so powerful that they can control life and death?