Giving Thanks
This past Thanksgiving really gave me a new perspective on family and life. It was the perfect time to take a moment to remember what I was thankful for this year ( I will cover that in another post).
Last year I spent the holiday alone after working a long day. I was pretty much accustomed to doing this because my family has not been the traditional family in past years. This year was very different.
We spent the holidays in Fayetteville, North Carolina where other members of our family call home. My brother has been living there since 2016. My cousins and aunts rented an Airbnb and hosted a big Thanksgiving Dinner. It was a great experience being together out of the big city and enjoying the country life.
This holiday was extremely special for me because I got to meet my nephew Kiro for the first time and celebrate my brothers 30th birthday. I couldn’t remember the last time we celebrated a birthday together, since we have lived in different states for our entire adult lives. My brother’s wife planned a surprise party. Marion and I had much fun filled anxiety sneaking around gathering all the last-minute details without him finding out. At the end of the week a successful Thanksgiving evening and a super special surprise party was behind us.
For me personally I had time to really reflect on what life was truly about. Moments on the couch watching TV with granny, doing the cupid shuffle with my niece Kynadi, and having dinner together laughing and talking. I was secretly honored being in the room with three generations (father, brother, nephew) of men that all in some way have helped me become the woman that I am at this very moment in my life. It was a week full of love and bonding. A week that I needed both mentally and spiritually. It was a simple reminder that the smaller things in life make my heart smile and push me further toward my dreams. I arrived back in New York with a renewed sense of purpose and mission for my own life. I am grateful!
Here are some photos of my loved ones….
“The most important thing in the world is family and love ”