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Thanksgiving

Starting today is a four day holiday Thanksgiving weekend here in the US. It kind of is the start of holidat season which will last till January encompassing Christmas and New Year.

It is a nostalgic day for me as lots of things have changed in the past one year. Today marks the ninth year I am here in the United States and life is again at the crossroads. But the spirit is much brighter today.

Today marks the busiest travel day of the year when everyone who is away from their home - studying, working, teaching - get together and celebrate the Thanksgiving Dinner.

Also 8 years ago tommorow marks my initiation into the American culture. I was lucky to be part of a Thanksgiving Feast hosted by my German Professor for whom I was a Teaching Assistant at the college here - invited me alongwith a fellow Chinese student, a Banglasdeshi couple, a German girl - exchange student and her Husband who is an Egyptian.
The reason for me to write the different countries is to elaborate that no one of us was an American - all immigrants - all here to expand their horizons in their own ways. Each with a dream and aspiration - separated from near and dear ones back home either because of personal choice or aspirations or need.
She was a very nice lady who invited us knowing that none of us had our families here and also her own son was away and could not make it. A special gesture -as mostly Turkey is served at this dinner - she made vegeterian dishes for me. It was a memorable evening etched forever in my memory.

Today thus I take this opportunity to say Thank You to everyone I have known till now, I have not yet known but are part of this Universe, and extent it to all I will know in the future.

We have been given an identity and placed on this planet. But single handedly we are just objects with with reasoning powers - it is only after the interaction among different people that we get classified and categorized based on our similarities and differences, This is then what defines that identity and it becomes a being.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving !!!!!

17 comments:

Mel Avila Alarilla said...

Hi Ceedy,
Thanks for your visit to my blog and for the very profound comments you left behind. It's nice to know that you will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day with fellow immigrants of diverse nationalities there in the US. Enjoy yourself and Happy Thanksgiving Day to you and to your companions as well.

WritingsForLife said...

Happy Thanksgiving!!

It is indeed a wonderful occasion and my favorite holiday. I wish i was with my family today :(

Pri said...

nicely written :)
**single handedly we are just objects with with reasoning powers - it is only after the interaction among different people that we get classified and categorized based on our similarities and differences, This is then what defines that identity and it becomes a being.**

especially loved this part...:)

have a great thanksgivin!
cheers!!

Jaggu said...

Happy Thanks Giving Day. I have been invited for thanks giving party by one of my colleague who is an American. This is my first thanks giving day here in US. Waiting to know about more tomorrow. Will soon write up a blog with my experience regarding that. Have a good vacation.

Mirage said...

Excellent post...especially the concluding para. Makes one ponder... :)

Happy Thanksgiving! Have a great weekend!

Sameera Ansari said...

Happy Thanksgiving :)

ceedy said...

@mel avila alarilla
Thank you for your wishes. And thank you for being my new E- friend :)

@raaji,
Fellow bloogeres are part of your extended family (a very small part)...so atleast have some time :) and not :(

@pri
Thank you for you comment. Would like to know and understand what in that sentence did you like - just as a curious exercise - not a egoistic question :)

ceedy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ceedy said...

@jaggu
If you were here we would have celebrated thanksgiving together but atleast we will be together in spirits (hic!!!!)
will wait to read your experience :)

@mirage
thanks for the comment -was wondering if you can share some pondering :)

@sammera
thanks

annie said...

Am clueless abt thanksgiving culture but thatz a nice gesture of thanking around. Atleast one day when a person crosses one's thoughts.have a great Thanksgiving day! 10th year in US...wow!

radiohead said...

its gud tht ur enjying ur days ;)

Anonymous said...

Happy thanksgiving day CD. Nice bout of nostalgia and the spirits to begin all over again.

Loved the part where you quote the life is at crossroads, but the spirits are up.

Wonderful!!!

KP said...

Happy Thanksgiving...njoi turkey with good stuffing.....nice pie(apple).....

ceedy said...

@annie
There is a link to Thanksgiving and its meaning on the blog in BLUE - read it if you want more info :) Thanks for the wishes - 9 years though not 10 !!!!!

@anuj
Thanks man - life is all about enjoyment with small sad hiccups ;)

ceedy said...

@ashu
Thanks for the hearty comment - yes this is down and there is no way but up from here - so why not just have high spirits !!!!!

ceedy said...

@kp
Dude thanks but me a vegetarian - so no turkey - but lotsa pie and wine :)

Phoenix said...

wishing you a very happy thanksgiving!

it must be hell living without family and everything familiar that you had once grown up with...