Fragrance of frankincense is slowly filling the room while my sweet potato is being baked fast in my air fryer. As always, I sit in my favorite corner in my dining room soaking in the morning light. Thanksgiving is finally here. I’ve been hearing the messages of thanksgiving all week. At my parish, from the sermons I heard online, and at my yoga studio. Everyone seemed to have something to say about the importance of giving thanks.

My new friend next door with four daughters packed up and left for New Jersey early this morning. I woke up early today and checked to see if they had left already. Seeing empty driveway of their house created an unwelcoming sensation in my heart. Today, they won’t be coming over to play as usual. My neighbor C’s big red van is always parked in her driveway except the few times she goes out to pick up her girls from school. While she’s searching for a practice to continue her career as a pediatrician, she’s staying home turning all her attention to resettle in her new home (she just moved from Utah) and since she doesn’t have any friends in the area (just like me), she stays home mostly. Thus, her car is most always in her driveway and so is mine. Now her car will be gone for the next two full days. I think I am developing an empty driveway syndrome.

Thanksgiving is a quiet time for us immigrants. Some celebrate it with friends. Some with limited number of family members. Holidays are never easy when you don’t have all your loved ones at your table. As I cook a few things for my small family gathering, I still find reasons to give thanks. After all that I have been through, here I am, still vividly alive. I say my prayers every morning reciting all the names of my family members and friends who have not come to accept Jesus yet. Until my dying day, I shall continue my morning rituals of sending up the names of the unbelieving friends and families. My favorite pastime activity is to picture the scene of all of us at the table of Jesus in heaven after the final day on earth- I can see all my beloved friends and family members there at the table. I don’t know if we will have a big turkey dinner. But whatever the food may be, I know it will be the completely happiest day of my life.

Happy (belated) thanksgiving!

p.s. I am going through my ever-persistent writer’s block and this post took me two full days to finish as you can see.