Thanksgiving '22
The room is filled, with things, belongings, collections, and items from Costco. We arrive at staggered times, ultimately gathering together for the day. The table is full, but today filled with more thematic plates: stuffed turkey, gravy, butternut squash and pumpkin, and then the more familiar duck, corn that translates into any meal, chao, and then the more modern fusion dishes of dung chow paella, garlic clam noodles, sadlad, which I of course brought. The conversation is the same as any other special event. But today, we have turkey and gravy, we dress in fall-esque colors... We seek or crave or embody a sense of American-ness. Sure, I realize that the folkore is problematic and this symbolism is not something to celebrate. But we celebrate having a day off to be amongst family; to feel a sense of belonging in this shared culture; to redefine the holiday. Miscommunications and other faults aside, I'm grateful. We're all seeking that sense of belonging, aren't we?