Chaos Grows, but thankfulness flows

I was already exhausted and then my mother had to add more and more drama through the night. I was fed up I had brought my 3 children to celebrate the holiday and she just would not give me the time of day. She talked to everyone but me. I could feel my anger boiling, NO-- my brain shouted NO. This year I was going to be the one to keep the peace. About 2 turkeys and 3 little gingerbread houses later I was walking down the hallway to acquire my coat so I could go smoke a cigarette to clear my head. I came upon an argument in the hallway...great just what I need I thought. Mom was yelling at my sister for not remembering the dessert she said she would bring. Heat began to rise in my heart, anxiety and sadness began to come to the surface, the old familiar tune of FAMILY DINNER.

" You are so irresponsible it makes me sick, did you even make the darn dessert or did you lie to get out of it?" My mom said through seething teeth. " You always mess things up and especially on holidays

My brother over heard and interjected,

" Mom you are so mean to Amelia and why is this." my brother said as if he was going to cry.

My mom looked at the ground and kicked a rock and sighed but did not answer my brothers question. Mom never did like confrontation on the wrong behavior she displayed, especially in front of any number of people. She worried they would over hear. Today my family did care about that little quirk, suddenly my two cousins appear and do not look happy at all.

They rush over and hug my sister and give a huge sneer to my mom... then my older cousin Zelda says to my mom.

" You know you are hurting yourself more than anyone else treating your daughter like your mother treated you, right"?

my sister looked exhausted and rightly so she just gave birth not a day ago and she looked as if she would cry. You see my mom and sister have always had a interesting relationship. I did not put up with moms God complex but somehow my sister Amelia, had the patience of a golden retriever.

Amelia looked up at my mom after my cousins defensive statement on her behalf and smiled. Mom just stared coldly into my sister Amelia's eyes.

I walked up to mom, my anger almost boiling to the brim I was going to tell her what's up, she could not continue to belittle and treat Amelia, the amazing sister, daughter, mother and friend she was, like garbage just cause she forgot to make dessert

"MOM, why do you always have to give her a hard time its not right, I mean look at her she's practically still pregnant, she just had a baby cut her some slack."

Mom looked at me with utter rage, she huffed and she puffed but thank God the house wasn't blown down, although it be close to that. You see mom and I as strange as it is have always gotten along, until 3 years ago when Amelia had her first baby but it was out of wedlock. She freaked out on Amelia for " Not making the right decision, but in fact now Amelia and Thomas are the happiest couple I have had the pleasure of knowing and spending time with and my mom had to swoop in and judge and belittle my sister. After Thanksgiving 2020, things were NEVER the same between me and mom.

Mom lurched forward at me with tears trying to come out of the corner of her eyes

"you two girls always gaining up on me." my mom shouted right next to my ear loud as a fog horn.

I lurched backwards away from the crowd, reeling...

This moment brought me back to a very bad memory of when I was in high school. This was pretty much the event that separated my mom and I, for good reason. In highschool my mom hired a private detective to practically spy on me and my friends to see if we were having sex or doing drugs. NONE of that was happening we actually just put together a surprise for her we had to had. When I found out what my mom did I moved out. At 17 I packed my bags and gained my private life back.

and now Back to the present

I looked at everybody anger rising up in even little Ivan in the corner who was not even 10 years old yet...I could see the tension in everyone. I stopped and prayed. I asked the Great Spirit to replace all these thoughts of anger, throughout everyone in the room would turn into something they were thankful for I asked for peace and clarity in this situation, I also asked for frowns to be replaced with smiles.

Suddenly my brain had an Idea.....I shouted at the top of my lungs

"WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR TODAY"

" There is no reason to fight," I pleaded

"Stop thinking of yourself only, the things said in an unkind tone, that hurts people and makes them not want to be around you."

"this is thanksgiving and what are we doing?" fighting and arguing??? Making a scene is not going to help ANYONE and it brings dismay to the day! Wouldn't you rather add joy to the day rather than all this fighting and bickering?"

After my little speech, Everyone paused and stared at me, No one really objected to the question. At this moment we went through each family member and they told us the thanks they had although it had been a chaotic and dramatic day everyone had at least one thing they were grateful for.

My mother smiled and said I am thankful for a daughter who has a louder voice than me to make a great point, that we are to just be thankful today....instead I have to make a mountain out of a molehill, my mom apologized and we all moved on

My Brother was thankful for stuffing and turkey

My sister was thankful for a silent night

My father was thankful for earplugs

My cousins were thankful for carrot cake

And I was thankful and still am thankful for the opportunity to help teach my family new and different things

All in all after perspective was added this thanksgiving was and is the best one yet.