Via NPR - - who is missing from your Thanksgiving table?

Who is missing from my Thanksgiving table?
My mom, for one.

She lives in a care home now in another city. I do get to visit her, but on Thanksgiving, a day when my husband works,  she will not be at my house, nor will I be at hers.

My dad also will not be there for Thanksgiving. Our family has been missing him since 1990, when he passed away from complications of adult-onset diabetes.

One of these days I will again try making a Thanksgiving dinner, complete with turkey, homemade dressing, yummy cranberry sauce from a can, and pumpkin pie. I will be thinking of the missing people I used to be with on Thanksgiving years past, and of other older family members who are no longer with me, or of other loved ones far away from me this Thanksgiving.

I will be most thankful for the Thanksgiving and holiday memories I was lucky enough to have had with all of them through the years. 

And I will be thinking of people I am coming to know on Facebook and elsewhere who have it very hard this year. One just had a young daughter die from complications from a knee replacement. Another family is at the hospital - - waiting to see if their mother can breathe when she is taken off a respirator. Still another person faces heart surgery, but must wait another few weeks until he is stronger to have this done.

I heard on the radio today that NPR was going to talk about a story called "Who is missing from your Thanksgiving table?" and that title gave me the idea for this posting.

(Thanks NPR!). I got to thinking about my Thanksgiving, and that of others too. Some people will be missing their relatives who are simply not able to make it, but are still around. That is what the NPR radio show is about that I found on the site. It is from 1997.

Here is what it says on the NPR site about the "Who is Missing from your Thanksgiving table" story:
 
"Listeners talk about the loved ones who are absent from their gathering this Thanksgiving. Whether they are serving overseas in the military, stuck in highway traffic, or at work producing an upcoming broadcast, who is missing from your table this year?"

I may listen to this broadcast later on, because it sounds good.


Anyway, I hope your Thanksgiving is a good one. I know for myself, I will be counting my blessings and am very grateful that I am able to remember those who are missing. I also hope I will be able to help those others who are only today coming to grips with the fact that this year or maybe next year, there may be an empty spot - - or another one -- at their Thanksgiving table.

Here is the radio show link from NPR.

And have a good, memory-filled Thanksgiving.

-Betsyanne

PS I was reminded yesterday that I am not the only one who believes that it is true that the perception of time passing has indeed changed a lot with age. Now time is going by way too fast. But what to do about it I haven't quite figured out yet. Maybe just go with the flow? :-) If you have an idea, just let me know as a comment.


The pensive photo on this page and the Thanksgiving turkey drawing are both from the great (and free!) site at Clkr.com.

****COMMENT BELOW**** - - and let me know your Thanksgiving plans, thoughts, or just anything you feel like sharing.

-Betsyanne

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