Holidays

As this US holiday of Thanksgiving approaches I remember past holidays over my many years.
As a kid I remember the family get togethers with the tension of war times.
Two camps.
Neither happy with the other for what ever reason.
Mine was unique as my father was from the north and my mother was a southerner.
So my father was liberal in how he viewed folks.
My mother had that southern limitation that believed things could never be equal and folks should know their place.
But that was just not color......families down there had a pecking order based on importance.
You knew your place. There was a strict social hierarchy.
My father was raised up living in the city during the Great Depression. He remembers very lean times. Being hungry more than once. Social hierarchy had no place. Everyone needed to work together to survive.
Now think of two families getting together on a holiday like this.
The southern part did not like this northern part for their lack of social hierarchy.
The northern part did not like the superior than thou attitude of the southern part.
As a young kid I was all about the food.
As I grew I would sit back and watch the interactions of this dysfunctional situation.
Finally I graduated from the "kiddie" table to the adult table.
A great honor was bestowed upon me with expectations.
The last great family gathering I decided to go for it. I had sat watching the two sides eat in silent till the overt act. Then it would get verbal, followed by yelling and crying.
Just before the table broke up like peace talks gone bad I stood up and shouted for attention.
Both sides stopped in mid positions and looked at me.
I took up my glass of wine and raised it.
"To family...." I held the glass till everyone raised theirs.
I took a big drink draining the glass of this terrible wine my aunt had brought. She had no taste in wine.
After this I stood there staring at them all.
I told them how I remembered days like this. The endless bickering. The endless struggle for supremacy. I thanked them for the entertainment. I told my mother if this was what it meant to be an adult at this table I wanted nothing to do with it. I told my grandmother if she could not get along with my father I wanted nothing to do with being at this table. So I informed each part of the family how I felt about the way things were handled. I did praise those who tried to be peacemakers like my father but I did admonish them for not really stepping up. Father knew I was right. He many times would back down just to go along. Funny thing is he taught me to not just go along. To stand up which I did.
I told them now I have had enough.
I told them I am going back to the kiddie table where there is none of this.
Just us kids having fun and eating good food.
I left the dining room now bathed in silence with my plate and sat down next to a 4 year old cousin.
I was a 16 year old sitting at the kiddie table with my back to the adult table as we talked about cartoons and playing outside when we done.
That was the last time the entire family got together.
We would have small gatherings of close family.
I did notice this.......they all behaved while I was at the table.
So this is a strictly American holiday and I know world does not observe it...........
I would like to say to all to just be thankful for your family. It does not need to be a holiday.
Its about family.
Just mind your P's and Q's.
I will be watching over at the kiddie table.