A Thanksgiving break that gave my family quite the scare.
Giving Thanks for the Dull Moments
This break has been something I've looked forward to for months. As a largely family-oriented person, living even a small amount of time away from home is no easy task. I couldn't wait to see my pups, my kitties, my fish, my sister, my parents, my grandparents, my neighbors--the whole small-town wazoo.
The past week, unfortunately enough, has been nothing short of hectic. I hoped I could relax and take pictures of clouds, maybe bake if I had the chance. Despite my wishes for a calm meditative rest week before finals, my family were caught extremely off guard with some horrifying news. My aunt, uncle, and baby cousins were involved in a serious car accident last Tuesday, on their way to my town for Thanksgiving. An 18-wheeler had jack-knifed on the highway after trying to thwart a deer and ended up blocking all 4 lanes. My aunt and uncle were going 70mph, at 9:00pm, on slick, wet roads, and hit it straight on. My dad had to drive out and rescue their dog from the car while they were taken back to a hospital in Austin by two ambulances, and then stayed there with them while they were treated. The rest of our family was worried sick when we heard the news but didn't have any further information on their conditions. As luck would have it, they only had minor injuries.
Then, the next day my dad returns to the house with my two girl cousins, who needed a place to stay while their parents were in the hospital. My aunt fractured her wrist and my uncle his ankle, and they decided to watch over the girls' little brother in the hospital as to not separate him from his mom. With my cousins recovering at our house, we spoiled them like we usually would, treating them with goodies and fun sleepover games. It was all I could do not to break down when I gently washed them in the bath, their small bodies covered black and blue with bruises, scrapes, and gashes. It was something I have never seen before and don't ever want to again. The only consolation to the situation was the girls were so excited to show their friends their "battle-scars," because it made them feel like warriors. Is that not the saddest. Thing. You've. Ever. Heard? It also made me feel a little better that although they were sore, it didn't stop their childish and jovial attitude as they attempted to jump on the bed or do a cartwheel, much to our admonishment.
With that rather depressing and extensive anecdote in mind, I learned to appreciate the simplicity and blessings given to me within seeing the dull, rainy clouds of my hometown for every single day until the 26th. My family, acknowledging the magnitude of our situation but also noting the timing, spent our haphazard Thanksgiving separated, worried, and in pain, but nonetheless extraordinarily grateful that our beautiful family walked out of a fatal situation okay. It made me realize that I have the privilege of waking up to gray clouds when my 6 year old cousin almost didn't. I definitely cannot say that this break was the most special, but it has proved to be our most memorable Thanksgiving and truly taught us to be grateful for everything, the bigs and the smalls.
Because in just a moment, you can lose the privilege of experiencing the clouds, whether they're stunning, mediocre, or dull. But they're a blessing within themselves.
Yorumlar