Thanksgiving Day is all about gathering with family and friends, overeating, watching Santa arrive at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and maybe some football. But is it really?
This Thanksgiving, as has happened in recent years, I’ve been by myself on Thanksgiving. But before you feel sorry for me, know that this year it was a conscious choice.
You see, my full-time job is frustrating and overwhelming. I hire people to service products in stores and sometimes answer surveys about that service. My company doesn’t pay top dollar for our field staff so the quality of applicants is not as good as it could be. But I try to look on the bright side – it someone without experience the opportunity to learn a new skill in a new industry. I find some excellent merchandisers this way. Unfortunately, the good ones don’t stick with us and the not so good ones do.
I have a handful of people on my team who are awesome-they do their job and they do it well. I also have some who want to do a good job, but need constant retraining. Then there’s the rest. They don’t read instructions; they don’t do the job, or they don’t bother to answer the survey- which means the job isn’t finished. Besides chasing down people to do their job, I am in crowded stores five days a week.
I am so tired of dealing with people!
That’s a sad truth for a follower of Messiah to admit. But this is the reason I decided to spend Thanksgiving without people; to give myself one day where I can just be me.
This day I am blogging, something I’m trying to do more consistently. I’m also eating foods I normally don’t in order to keep the weight down in my never ending battle against my rebellious thyroid. And I plan to do some crafting, reading, and housekeeping.
Several members of my family and my friends invited me to join them, but I turned them all down. One friend asked, “So you’re not celebrating Thanksgiving?”
Nothing could be further from the truth. I am spending this day being thankful for the time off, the time away from people, and the time to do some things I love.
While I am thankful for being by myself, I am certainly not alone. My Lord and my God is with me. It is He who gave me this wonderful opportunity to reflect on all the good and perfect gifts from His hand-family, friends, good health, creativity, talents, pets, income…
Above all, He gave me Himself. Me! Who am I that He would even spend a moment of eternity glancing my way? But He did. And I am grateful.
We will spend this day together, Father and daughter, in careless, wondrous indulgence-“playing with my toys” while we chat about all manner of things.
What about you? What are you doing on this Thanksgiving Day?
Ro,
Working in merchandising, there were times I liked it, and times I didn’t. I recently ran into my former manager, and she told me things have gotten so busy that they now have some stores with two news america reps in them.
As far as thanksgiving goes, this is my first real break since March. Yes, I’m trying to make the most of it.
Hi Rodney,
It all depends on which area of the country you’re in. Florida used to be testing grounds but in recent years it’s the Carolinas.
Glad you have a break!