Ever think back on your family gatherings, especially at Thanksgiving & Christmas, and realize none are exactly identical? 

I love the idea of family traditions, but I also know the changes in our individual lives tend to “tweak” those times we are together.  I think the hardest seasons are when someone dear to us is missing from our company.

This year at Thanksgiving, Kathy and I joined her parents at my sister-in-law Carrie’s house. We didn’t have our 3 kids with us. It was a disappointment, but we didn’t let that drag us down. What we did have were two visiting Asian students, Angela from Hong Kong and Risako from Japan. They enjoyed their first Thanksgiving meal with us, followed by a rousing game of Uno. That day will become its own very special memory.

It’s good to cherish those special times.

Do you ever put extra pressure on yourself to try and duplicate a special time in your  life… maybe wondering if you can measure up to that fond moment or tradition?  At this point, please take a deep breath, and repeat after me:  “I don’t have to recreate the past”.

What you and I can do is focus on how we can make today special. And guess what, that can be a lot more fun!