When Thanksgiving Teaches Us About Change

 

Thanksgiving has always carried a kind of magic for me — the familiar scents drifting from the kitchen, the sound of family laughter layering over Christmas Movies playing in the background or the Macy's Day Thanksgiving Parade, the comforting chaos of too many people trying to help with one oven. For years, this holiday felt like an anchor, something I could count on to look exactly the same no matter what else was shifting around us.

But this year… this year feels different.

Maybe it’s because the kids are older. Maybe it’s because life keeps nudging (okay, shoving) me into new seasons faster than my heart is ready for. Or maybe it’s simply that Thanksgiving has a way of spotlighting the fact that time doesn’t slow down, not even when we beg it to. Whatever the reason, I’m feeling the change — and I’m learning to welcome it, even when it tugs at me.

I used to set the Thanksgiving table with little handprint turkeys and name cards the kids scribbled their own names on. Now I’m met with deeper voices, bigger shoes piled at the door, and the realization that some seats are filled with friends and some seats are left unfilled for those who have past. And yet, somehow, the table still feels full — maybe even fuller.

I used to cook nearly everything myself because it felt like part of the mom role. Now I focus on just a few becoming simpler as time marches on.  My kids are not just yet ready to take on the experimental dish making just yet. Letting go of control has slowly turned into letting in new memories.

And honestly? It’s beautiful in a way I didn’t expect.

This Thanksgiving, I’m realizing that change doesn’t just happen to us — it happens for us. It stretches us. It shows us who our children are becoming and who we are becoming alongside them. It reminds us that traditions aren’t meant to trap us in the past but to carry us forward, adapting as we do.

Some years, the house is loud and overflowing. Other years, someone important is missing. Sometimes we gather around joy; sometimes around heartbreak. But every time, Thanksgiving whispers the same reminder: be here now. Be grateful for what was, for what is, and for what’s still unfolding — even if it looks different than you imagined.

So this year, I’m embracing the shifts. The new faces. The new rhythms. The changing roles. And yes, even the bittersweet ache of watching my kids grow into the people they’re meant to be.

Because Thanksgiving isn’t really about the perfect table or the predictable traditions. It’s about love — evolving, stretching, surprising love — and the tenderness of recognizing that change is its own kind of blessing.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends. May your table be full, your hearts be open, and your season be rich with gratitude… even for the changes you didn’t see coming. 🧡