I’m writing at 4:00 on Thanksgiving morning. My family is sleeping soundly. The house is quiet. Pets – cats and dogs – have been assigned appropriate sleeping quarters.
My family is sleeping soundly. The house is quiet. Pets – cats and dogs – have been assigned appropriate sleeping quarters.
Less than 8 hours ago, our small family was not so peaceful.
One family member, the homeowner, was in tears. “It’s not fair,” she cried. “Why do I have to lock my pets away while their pets get to roam free?”
The guest, blind to the pain, remains self-focused. This is not new. Nor is the expectation that this year will be different.
In a few short hours people and pets will awake from their peaceful slumber. Each person will adopt their long developed patterns of behavior. So will the cats and dogs.
From the outside looking in, and to the self-focused family member, the Thanksgiving feast is perfect.
I am thankful for the food we are about to eat and the hands that prepared it. I am thankful for each individual, each cat and each dog. As a group, not so much.
