"...embrace"

About Thanksgiving. It was much the same as Christmas. Just more drama. I have jumbled memories of Uncles arguing some fighting with cousins Aunts being stoically quiet, and our dog Brownie pigging out on leftovers. This as the field of battle quieted when folks left. Otherwise it was fine.

No really it was because things always calmed down back into laughing yacking eating, and just being happy in each other's company. Life when it works is like this. It's what we embrace. All of it. The rough the dicey the wonderful.

Grace. This was a big deal. I mean we only sporadically did this in real life. However the Holidays was when we got real about eternity life, and what we meant to each other. As a kid I was into g-d the same way I dug Santa. 

Myths were as real as math exams to me.

For Billions still is, but that's another rant. I just liked seeing everybody. Cousins were more sisters, and brothers to play with. Aunts kept kissing me. Uncles did tuff guy stuff. Uncle Louie showed me how to do a firm hand shake. Saying how important that static was. 

I loved Uncle Louie. 

Worked at the Navy Yard. Built aircraft carriers with his bare hands! I remember the time he stuffed me, and all the cousins into his gigantic 1959 Imperial. He drove us up'n down the new New York State Thruway. Did near 100! This was before cops executed Black people for having faulty tail lights. ...he got us all drunk one time too.

My Ma freaked out.

He said it was time we grew up. We were underage, but the bar knew Uncle so drink like little fishes we did. I got sick as hell. The next bar I entered was a,...ahem. A rather different one. Again another rant for another time.

As for the Turkey.

Being the sort of kid I was. I helped my folks the night before with the preparations. My new little sister Sylvia did too. Those nights those makings are among my happiest memories. 

We helped Ma make the fixings stuffing. This is also how I learned to make good red bean'n rice.  'Helped Dad make the pies. Every year Dad made pies for the whole block. It was a tradition. 

The house smelled like a swell bakery...with Turkey roasting in the background...a bleeping big one too. Our lives our histories memories are multi-dimensional. Sights smells sounds emotions spiritual tingling's of the un-nameable.

Keep these things in your hearts. Especially this Holiday season. This as most may not see loved ones. Stand fast. Be brave kind smart, and eat everything in sight!