Thanksgiving

Damn, time flies. I can't believe its Thanksgiving already. I guess part of the shock comes from the lack of clues building up to it. No cold weather (though it is cooling down) no turkeys and pumpkins everywhere I look. It will be ok with me if Christmas sneaks up in a similar way, because then hopefully I can avoid the nostalgia of not being home for the holidays.
Today was an odd day. I felt really sick when it was time for me to get up for school, so I decided I wouldn't go. I got up to write out some math problems for Lauren to give to the kids. When I was heading back to bed, I began feeling especially woozy. I was holding onto my door for support and the next thing I knew, I was on the floor. It was the first time in my life that I legitimately passed out. Lauren didn't go to school so she could stay with me in case something else happened. Subhamita came over and a doctor came, but by then I was feeling mostly better. I got prescribed some antibiotics and went back to sleep.
Maybe 30 minutes after the doctor and Subhamita left, the doorbell rang. Lauren went to answer it and I heard someone yell, "Auntie!!" "Shhh! She's asleep!" Lauren says. I got out of bed to see what was going on. Three of my students had come to see if I was ok. Lauren let them in and they began feeling my forehead and stuff. It was really sweet. We sent them home and I went back to bed. The only other major event of the day is when I got up for lunch had some soup. Exciting, huh? I actually am feeling much better now though (otherwise I wouldn't be here at the Iway typing this) Hopefully tomorrow everything will be back to normal.

But the real reason I wanted to write today is to address the fact that it's Thanksgiving. Though I'm doing nothing to celebrate (no turkey and pumpkin pie for me), I feel like this is the year where I have most fully observed the holiday. I have never been more thankful in my life than I am now. I guess there's nothing like spending months in a developing country to make one realize just how much one has.
My other thoughts on Thanksgiving are more on the nature of the holiday itself. It is thanks-giving, the one day of the year that Americans set aside to be thankful for all they have. And how do we choose to show thanks? By consuming even more of the world's resources which are unfairly alotted to us.
Don't get me wrong. I love Thanksgiving. Its a nice time when families get together and enjoy each others' company. And the family aspect is of course more important than the food. I know I'll be thinking about mine as I eat my turkey-less dinner tonight.

~m