November 28, 2013 8:03 AM

Happy Thanksgiving from the People's Republic of Portlandia

So Happy Thanksgiving, America. May all your Hoverrounds come equipped with TruckNutz. May you return safely from your holiday travels without having actually punched any wingnut relatives in the nose. May your attempts to recite “Alice’s Restaurant” from memory be at least 30% successful. May you see everything twice. Or maybe there are some things you don’t even want to see once. May you get a pony. May you take heart that in many places in our land, families really will be starting the new year with health insurance for the first time. May you have plenty of reminders that not everything is terrible. And remember to Buy (almost) Nothing tomorrow!

Like a lot of us, I’m fortunate to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with people I care about and who care about me. Having been estranged from my own dysfunctional family for years, my girlfriend’s family has taken me in and adopted me as one of their own. Today we’re having Thanksgiving Dinner at one of the best restaurants in Portland with her parents, and I feel blessed to have the opportunity to share today with them. Over the past few years, I’ve begun to realize how important family is and how wonderful it is to be part of one- even if it’s not my biological family. A friend once told me that family is where you find it. The people you surround yourself with can be family if you choose to make it so; the important thing is to have people in your life who love you as you love them.

It’s not important who or how you love; it’s only important that you do, because without love, this world would be a pretty lonely, barren, and desperate place. I’m grateful for the people who accept me and love me for who I am and who’ve allowed me to do the same for them. It’s good to have a day to reflect on the truly important and precious things in our lives and to celebrate them. We may spend the other 364 days moving at warp speed and with very little time and/or space for appreciation and reflection. Today can be and, for me at least, is an opportunity to slow down enough to appreciate the good things I have.

I know it’s a bit trite and overdone to use Thanksgiving to talk about what you’re thankful for…but it is called THANKSgiving, no? There’s nothing quite like taking time to step back and look at your life. For me, it’s a reminder that while my life isn’t “perfect” (and whose is?), it’s a damned sight better than it has been at other points on my personal timeline. I have a woman in my life who loves me, a family that’s accepted me as one of their own, and it’s hard to look at those things with anything but gratitude for my good fortune.

I wish all y’all a safe, happy, and joyful Thanksgiving. May your day be filled with love, laughter, and the resounding defeats of the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers. Put a bird on it!

Cheers….

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This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on November 28, 2013 8:03 AM.

A reminder that Thanksgiving turkeys don't start out in the meat department was the previous entry in this blog.

Enjoy the Tofurky, y'all.... is the next entry in this blog.

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