Women Run . . . for a party of 5.
Many of you may remember the TV series Party of Five. It was about a family with 5 children who lost their parents in a car accident. The family owned a restaurant and every Friday night the children had a standing dinner reservation for a party of five. It was the one time each week the children gathered for a meal to catch up on their busy lives. It was a solid attempt to stay connected, support each other through trials and tribulations and celebrate milestones and successes. Essentially a Thanksgiving meal once a week!
November is home to my favorite underdog holiday – Thanksgiving. No Holiday songs signify it (accept perhaps Adam Sandler’s Turkey Song and possibly Alice’s Restaurant). It’s tricky to find Thanksgiving decorations in the stores. There’s no pressure to find the perfect gift. Just food, family and friends. I’ve spent Thanksgiving in many different places; an adobe home in New Mexico eating cactus, a palazzo in Italy eating tiramisu, a college dining hall eating who knows what, a tiny San Francisco apartment where guests sat on my bed and ate turkey on my footlocker turned dining room table. It didn’t matter where I was or what I actually ate. The pull to have a meal with friends and family was always strong. Growing up my family always invited those special people who didn’t have a place to gather. The family we only see one day each year but were treated as if they’ve been a part of our daily lives. The lady down the street we call Auntie. One year my high school chemistry teacher who suddenly found himself single joined us. I grew up in a large family where food, energized conversations and a lot of laughter abound. The more the merrier and all were welcome!
We spend so much time running around. We are in deed Women who Run. The Holidays up the ante and make us even busier. Sitting down to that Thanksgiving meal is high on my favorites list. So much so that I recently adopted the “party of 5” tradition in my family. We don’t make it every Friday, but twice a month we go to a restaurant to sit and talk over a meal that someone else has cooked. Sometimes we are a party of 6 with a friend that gets to tag along. We catch up, make the time to listen to the entire story the children want to tell without the urge to jump up and change a load of laundry. No cel phones, no i-pods, but plenty of wine (for the adults) and laughter. We even order dessert and coffee! A true sign of not being in a rush – just like Thanksgiving. Be thankful for all you have, all the wonderful people in your life and don’t forget to take the time to catch up over a simple meal. Not just this Holiday, but every chance you get.
I am so very grateful for the abundance in my life right now . . . mostly made up of an abundance of incredible family and friends who are supporting me in a myriad of ways as I run in a million directions pursuing the dream of uniting, supporting and inspiring women to follow their dreams . . . THANK YOU!!!
– Kyra