Giving Thanks

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, which also signals the beginning of the holiday season. And while I've always loved them all and enjoy them, each year of my adult life there is a moment where I feel some sadness.

Merriam-Webster defines "family" as such:

1 : a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head : household
2 a : a group of persons of common ancestry : clan b : a people or group of peoples regarded as deriving from a common stock : race
3 a : a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation : fellowship b : the staff of a high official (as the President)
4 : a group of things related by common characteristics:

I'm one of these unusual people who don't have any family, other than my daughter, as defined by definition 2. And that's quite literally true. I don't have parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins. Nor do I have in-laws (which, ok really, maybe I shouldn't complain about).

But after a particularly tumultuous 2009 for me and my closest peeps, where lines in the sand were drawn, and some left us for paradise too soon, yesterday I was shown that family is more than just having genes in common. For me, it's more akin to definition 2b, 3, and 4. You see, all day long I was reminded from all directions that I'm thought of, loved, and cared for by people that don't have my hazel eyes or weirdly small feet.

In the morning, I was txted by my 3 closest girlfriends who told me that they love me and are thankful that I'm in their life (I also heard from quite a few others, just reaching out to say Happy Thanksgiving). That afternoon, my daughter and I were included (along with some of my best friends) in a delicious and damn good time of a Thanksgiving dinner by some new friends I'd only met 3 times before. High school and childhood friends, both local and far away, posted love and warm wishes to my Facebook page. I was woken up in the middle of the night by a txt message from another good friend, excited to share with me that his favorite college football team won (again, lol).

And while I do continue to miss my mom and sometimes wish for a room full of cousins, there are other ways to define and create your tribe. Take it from me - It's not blood lines or legal documents that make a family. It's love. Plain and simple. And I have an abundance of it.