An Imperfect Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday – it’s all about family. The being together that I love so very much.

For whatever reason it has always been our holiday with the most traditions. Others, like Christmas, were often spent at various locations and doing different things – but Thanksgiving has always meant more predictability – same menu, same faces, same venue… And I like that – no I LOVE that! And it doesn’t hurt that fall is my most favorite season either 🙂

So when I saw the most perfect Thanksgiving/Fall decorative pillow I wanted it… BADLY! It was this rich, gorgeous shade of orange and when I realized it had beading on it that read “gather” I truly had tears in my eyes in the store. “Gather.” Yes – that is my Thanksgiving word! Alas – the pillow was too expensive for my cheap butt so – I put it back on the shelf, went home and continued to think about it and wish I had coughed up the money and purchased it.

But! When I was in the store a few weeks later and found the very last of the gather pillows tucked away on the clearance shelf my heart almost stopped as I grabbed it to check to tag to see if indeed it was half off and not shoved there by some mean person to trick me and BAM! Half off! I grabbed it so fast I practically danced home!

I made a perfect little display on my sofa and loved walking by and looking at it for TWO WHOLE DAYS!

And then I looked closer… And this is what I saw…

ummmm… so yah. This happened.

Yup. The reason it was on clearance in the first place – the typo that changed “gather” to “galher.” And – typical human nature (and a lesson for another day) – I didn’t see what was actually there, I saw what I expected to see.

And I was so stinkin’ sad! I plotted and planned and pinteresed on how to fix this pillow. Eventually I ended up at the craft store and I bought these – the press on kind because who has time for anything else.

Press on rhinestones because – who has time for any other kind?!

And I kinda fixed it – but not really.

And I thought about taking it back. And then I thought about how its a lot like our lives and our Thanksgivings. Kinda broken – but mostly beautiful. And while we always WANT to gather – sometimes we just more or less “galher.” I mean – something usually burns. And someone ALWAYS gets their feelings hurt. And Uncle X can be counted on to say something ugly. And grandma will do something inappropriate. And one of the kids will be awkward. And that subject that shouldn’t come up – will come up. And maybe this year there will be an empty chair… and their might be sad tears.

But there will be so. much. laughter.

And no one will care that the potatoes are a bit runny.

And everyone will pitch in chasing the kiddos.

And there will be a new face or two because the family is growing.

And there might be sweet tears.

And “newbies” will be welcomed who have nowhere else to go and will be swept right into the chaos and treated like family.

And the house will be filled and overflowing with love.

Because while we may “galher” – we ALWAYS find a way to gather.

So while we all work hard to make the most beautiful Instagram worthy holiday – and we see everyone else on Facebook bragging about how amazing and #blessed their #family is – remember this:

Broken and imperfect and missing a few letters here and there – can still be completely beautiful. Just as it should be.

Happy Thanksgiving and much love.