Made it through another week.  Its Friday.  A little on the cold side – or colder than it has been for the past few weeks here in Texas.  With the election cycle now firmly in the rear-view mirror…its a little easier to dodge the political and politics-oriented stories now.  Which makes reading the news sites a little more enjoyable.

Here in the States, we celebrate the end of the harvest cycle with a day of Thanksgiving.  Typically, its a time frame spent with relatives and eating LOTS of food.  Considering that I don’t get along with a large majority of my blood relatives, and I just can’t handle the bickering nature of this holiday season – its not something I look forward to.  So, I generally don’t participate.

In the past, the Thanksgiving holiday went along these lines:  I’d show up on a Tuesday or Wednesday and help out with some of the cooking chores (usually getting the smoker started – and washing dishes every few hours).  Shortly after everything was underway for the Thursday, the living room would be filled to capacity with everyone drinking coffee or hor chocolate.  The talk would invariably turn to politics or some other divisive topic – and the room would turn into a boisterous debate hall or a Congressional committee meeting (depending on your view of such stuff).  After about five minutes of this, I would excuse myself, go to the kitchen and make myself a new warm drink, and head out to the patio/porch (depending on what house I was at), where I would spend the rest of the evening watching the stars/clouds (depending on the weather), while attempting to ignore the louder clamoring between my Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins over whatever topic was gauche at the moment.

After a while, I started to not see what there was to be “thankful” for.  Then I joined the United States Air Force, and found a new way to avoid the holiday altogether.  I volunteered to work the holidays.  In this manner, I was insured of a slow work day with a minimal amount of people there.  Furthermore (and more importantly) I had a reason to beg out of coming to the family gatherings.  These working sessions were so enjoyable for me – I found myself volunteering for more of them every chance I had.  Typically, the individuals I ended up with on these shifts – if anyone was stationed with me – were single, junior-enlisted folk….whom I found plenty of common ground with.  I had finally found something to be “thankful” for during the holiday season — work.

Years further down the road.  I no longer work during these holidays.  But for the most part – I don’t attend family gatherings either.  Over the years, I’ve found it far easier to say “no” when queried about such things.  This year will be no different.  Now, don’t get that sad face and start feeling sorry for me.  I have plenty to be thankful for.  I just don’t need a specific day to feel that way.  If you’re looking for a word to define it – you can say that I’m “non-traditional”.

Traditional, non-traditional, conformist, non-conformist, weird, strange.  Yeah – I’ve heard all those words before.  In the end – the words don’t carry the meaning that the individual hurling them intended. I understand quite well that I don’t fit many people’s definition of what they considered to be “normal” – and frankly I don’t care.  All the words mentioned above (along with a small army of other so-called “insults”) only have the meaning that I allow them to have.  So what if I don’t celebrate the “traditional” concept of Thanksgiving?  I’m still “me” – and still comfortable with who I am.  You’re still “you” – and should be comfortable with who you are.  In the end, in my book, that’s all that really matters.