Last week, my good friend K approached me and said, "Hey Beth, you know how you always refer to our little crew as our 'urban family'?""Yes?" (It's true. I do. I probably overuse the phrase, in fact.)
"Well... I was thinking... what if we had a little Urban Family Thanksgiving?"
That small conversation kicked off our planning for the event, to be hosted by Mama K and Crazy Aunt Beth. With quick enthusiasm, our little crew all pitched in: M designed the lovely graphic for our invitation; A brought extra tables and chairs; EVERYONE offered to bring food or alcohol... and despite one friend's protest that "eatin's cheatin', we should just drink!", we had an incredible spread of food when the urban family gathered this past weekend.
There were no speeches about what we were thankful for, no toasts, no words of prayer said before diving into our food. But there were about two dozen people, of varying ages and backgrounds, sharing stories and drinks and laughter. As I sat surrounded by the members of my urban family, sipping my seasonally appropriate cranberry martini, I began to feel genuine gratitude fill me. I was lucky enough to be born into a terrific family, but through choice and circumstance, my nearest biological-family members are several hours' drive from where I live, and most are much further... yet here, with this motley crew, we have created a strong network of support, love, and encouragement, fortified with healthy doses of gossip and neuroses, and maybe even a little dysfunction... we are, indeed, an urban family of the most wonderful sort. A collaborative holiday meal was a fitting, and filling, reminder of just how much we have to be thankful for in our little corner of the world.
I believe a new tradition has been born.
May all of you, your urban families, your biological families, your traditional and non-traditional families, and everyone, have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
5 comments:
:) I gotta see about picking up your tradition sometime. It sounds like fun! Esp. since, you know, I'm crazy and cook lots of food.
I think I'll cast you in my urban family Thanksgiving as, "Our Southern Cousin", though "Crazy Aunt Beth" does have a nice ring to it.
I like your post so much, I'll let you get away with calling something with cranberries in it a "martini".
P: I WISH you had been here to make creme brulee or some other fabulous, he-should-be-on-Top-Chef sort of dish!
M: Don't doubt the diversity of the martini, love. I adore the classic as well as the more avant-garde variety. And I am SO your Southern Cousin ;) Looking forward to veggie bash!
creating creative connections... that would be you!
can't wait to see you!
Wish I was there! Sounds like you need to re-launch Supper Club.
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