Thanksgiving 2008

Honestly, I don't really have much to report about this Thanksgiving, as it wasn't all that different from those I've had in the past. As I was sure to mention last year, the year before that I had spent my Thanksgiving in the Dutch city of Leiden, home to the pilgrims for 20 years or so. Well, apart from that year, this year is the only Thanksgiving I believe I've had where I wasn't living (even just for the break) at my parents' place. More strikingly (but less relevant) is the fact that this will also be true of this Christmas, with the exception that it will be the first time I'll have celebrated Christmas while not staying at my parents' place. I'm sure this will have a profound effect on me (especially not waking up that morning in my old bed), but I'll be sure to report my sentiments then.

Anyway, I digress.

This year we had my mom's side of the family over for dinner, as we always do. The main highlight here was easily my cousin Jeffrey and his wife Mary Stoney's three-week-old baby girl, Mary Lanigan, whom I got to see for the first time tonight. Although I'm not really that into babies, I couldn't help but be moved by the fact that part of my bloodline had procreated and therefore started fulfilling our most basic evolutionary instinct. I know this sounds awfully clinical, but the way I look at it, it's transcendently beautiful. I mean, this is "what we're here for", so to speak, and seeing a baby that, despite not quite looking a lot like her parents at the moment, has an undeniable air of being their offspring is a moving thing indeed.

So, I suppose if there was anything to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, I would have to say it would be this incredible example of the beauty of procreation, parenthood, and the evolutionary wonder that we all are.

Happy Thanksgiving!