Be thankful
that’s as close to an Elvis impression as I can manage and you don’t have to
listen to me sing. Trust me, you do not want that.
The other day, a
post by the very talented Liz Crowe reminded me of something that I’m afraid
I’ve been taking for granted. The romance community, authors and readers alike
are a very supportive bunch. We celebrate each others successes and
commiserate when life hands us lemons and we can’t quite manage the process of
making lemonade by ourselves.
I can’t remember
how many times I’ve needed a smile or a word of encouragement and found it
here. The ‘pay it forward’ vibe is alive and well and as an author, friend and
fellow traveler I just want to say, thank you all for being—you.
I always get a
little nostalgic in November. Thanksgiving was always a big deal at our house.
As kids we’d make decorations in school and no matter what they looked like, my
mom would tack them up and tell us how wonderful they were. That was the best
part. She made us feel as if we were an important part of the celebration. She
also helped me learn that coloring outside the lines wasn’t always a bad thing.
My parents are
in their eighties now and thankfully, still with us and still exclaiming over
their great-grand-children’s artwork. My mom’s refrigerator is always decorated with
proudly signed pictures of lopsided houses, stick people and purple horses. I’m
looking forward to this year’s display of construction paper turkeys and stick
figure pilgrims.
I’m also looking
forward to the season and the food and visiting with family I only see a couple
of times a year. Sometimes we get busy in our everyday lives and get bogged
down with the business of living but holiday celebrations are all about taking
the time to share the memories that have gotten us to where we are today.
The leaves are
turning and there’s a nip in the air; a sure sign that the holidays are just around the corner.
I know that I’ll reach a point where if I hear one more Christmas carol on the
radio I’ll be tempted to roll down my car window and turn up a totally
inappropriate song—and if I’m really feeling snarky—sing along.
How about you? Any memories or traditions you'd like to share--because I know you are a sharing bunch:)
Happy
Thanksgiving, everyone!
Paris Brandon
