My best ever Thanksgiving.

Used to be, we had family gatherings at Thanksgiving and Christmas. But I don’t miss them. Because I came from a dysfunctional family. At our family reunions, there’s too much arguing and bickering. Dredging up stuff. And playing the accusatory blame games. For everything that went wrong. Seldom was there a focus on what went right. Face it. Nothing is all bad. Anyway, I almost always walked away from Thanksgiving dinner table. In a funk. Wishing I had never come. I could find a better way to spend the holidays. Alone. In peace and solitude.  That’s been my practice. For many years now.   Except this Thanksgiving. I got a special invite. To a Thanksgiving with a four-generational family. Of an acquaintance. Who thought I shouldn’t be alone. And I’m so happy. That I accepted. It was the best Thanksgiving I’ve ever had. Yes, I learned something. There is a very functional family. And I felt a living part of it. Thank you, Joe and Janet Dolphy. --Jim Broede