Our Thanksgiving Family Tradition

 


Once upon a time...

There was a tradition in our land...

We celebrated together as one family...

A national celebration that was so grand...


We celebrated as Americans...

One flag of red, white and blue...

As Americans have done for generations... 

As one country, both me and you...


Sometimes we celebrated at grandma’s house...

With grandpa sitting at the head...

We looked like one big happy family... 

Including crazy drunk Uncle Ned...


But before grandpa carved the turkey...

We all bowed our heads in prayer...

We asked our Heavenly Father...

To bless the bounty we were about to share...


We asked our Heavenly Father...

To bless our loving family, as well...

To please help drunk Uncle Ned...

So that he may not end up in a jail cell...


We asked our Heavenly Father...

To help us make it through the meal without a fight... 

To keep all our opinions to ourselves...

No matter who was wrong or who might be right...


We asked our Heavenly Father...

To bless the politicians who create our laws...

We asked for prosperity for others...

To keep Uncle Ned out of the neighborhood bars...


Finally, it was time to carve our turkey...

And to share in our wonderful meal...

There was plenty of food to go around...

No one mentioned how the homeless might feel...


When suddenly I realized someone was missing... 

Cousin Betty was no where in sight...

Cousin Bobby shouted out loud...

“Knowing her, she stayed out all night!”


And that’s when it all started...

Cousin Bobby called Betty a whore...

Then Uncle Ned hit Bobby with a turkey leg...

And people started heading for the door...


I started jamming food in my mouth...

And stuck a pecan pie under my shirt...

And then I noticed Aunt Mary Lou...

Head for the door with the turkey under her skirt...


So ended our typical family Thanksgiving...

We actually haven’t had one in many years...

No matter how hard we tried as a family...

Our Thanksgiving dinners always end up in tears...


So this year, I’ll ask our Heavenly Father...

As I start to get down on my knees...

To keep all the families across America safe...

And keep Uncle Ned out of jail, if you please...


© 2022 Jeffrey Pipes Guice

My Wonder Years: A Book

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