We are taught that Spring is the time of massive creative change. Everything is procreating and growing and blooming and budding. The light is returning, life awakens and everything is full of hope and new beginnings. But Fall is also a time of massive, radical change. Everything that we have been and done over this past year is coming to fruition. We are who we have worked to be. And we have the challenge of standing in our truth, of being who we truly are, once again as all of the people we love, we are related to, or are required by duty to spend time with, are gathered in one place.
In this time of harvest, we can choose to be a victim. We can be ‘forced’ to ‘deal’ with these people and situations just as we have always done, bewail our fate, and go on with our lives leaving a bit of emotional hang over and the desire to ‘do it differently’ when you have the right to choose. But you have the right to choose in this now. You are not a victim of situation. You are a blessing from the Universe and you can choose how you wish to participate in life, even at Thanksgiving.
You can choose to handle things differently by sitting with different people, absenting yourself from certain conversations, taking a different action around food like helping in the cooking, bringing dishes you can eat, suggesting that everyone go out to eat this year, I hear Chinese is a lovely alternative….You can choose not to participate at all. To be done well this shouldn’t be an aggressive decision thrown in the face of the gathering, but a quiet declaration of boundaries that states you choose not to participate in certain behaviors and should things change in how people participate at this gathering in the future you would be willing to join. This takes courage and conviction, but can be an amazing agent for change and growth and improvement of relationships and communication channels. Or you can put on your armor, make sure your helmet is in place with the face plate down and your mouth guard in, then goto the gathering and say what you really need to say. Be honest, be truthful, then let the scenario play out.
Oh, you’ll survive. And if you are lucky, you’ll have stories to tell your kids and you might get a book and movie deal out of it. Just remember, keep a bit of distance between yourself and your neighbors at the table. They have sharp utensils at hand and there is quite a bit of very throwable food.