I was reminded over Thanksgiving of the fact that I was created for community. We all have heard that “it’s not Thanksgiving without the _______,” right? Fill that blank in with Turkey, dressing, cranberries, or punkin’ pie, and you have the typical answer given in response to the essential component of Thanksgiving. But I was reminded of the more cohesive component, that of family (which takes on a whole new meaning for me now that I’m a dad).
No longer did I wait in eager anticipation for the pineapple and cheese concoction that my mom makes (which, by the way, is awesome!). I eagerly awaited the arrival of my brother and his wife, my parents, and all of my in-laws. Everybody came to our house this year, and it was beautiful. The food was great, but sharing it with those I love was even greater. There’s something inside of me that longs to live life in community with others. Food may enhance that, but it can’t replace it.
I was talking with a guy in the hallway at church yesterday, and he told me that his plan was to eat Thanksgiving dinner alone, but at the last minute, a friend invited him to share dinner with their family. His eyes lit up when he told me about being invited to their home and not having to do Thanksgiving alone.
I believe that our dissatisfaction in living life alone was woven into our souls by God. Look at God’s words to Adam in Genesis 2:18: “Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone.” Adam wasn’t created to be his own friend! There was something out of whack when it was just Adam and the animals. He, just like us, was created to live life in relationships with other people. There’s something wrong when we find ourselves isolated and self-sufficient, and something about the holiday season brings this God-given need to the surface. We were created to depend on others.
I keep coming back to this in my thoughts and in my blogs, but I really want my son to catch the value of traditions. I hope and pray that our Thanksgiving traditions ring the bell of truth that God created us to be dependent on Him and dependent on others.
