Thanksgiving in Terms of Mellow

Korrin B.

November 25, 2010 - 9:00 PM

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it has the innate potential to be the absolute manifestation of mellow. Mellow happens to be my preferred state of being, my ultimate hope for my state of mind.

Mellow: adjective - pleasantly smooth or soft; free from harshness; softened or matured by aged or experience; relaxed and good-humored: everybody got very mellow and slept well.

On Thanksgiving, it doesn't matter how many people show up. It doesn't matter what you do or what you eat. It doesn't matter what time it starts and it doesn't matter that everything be perfect. Thanksgiving is just about getting together to relax, eat, and give thanks in any fashion one sees fit.

This Thanksgiving, I came home to Northern California with a good friend of mine, Michelle, who graduated from the UO last spring. We drove down on Tuesday and since our departure from Eugene, the trip has been nothing but mellow. We have gotten to sleep in a bit, lounge about the house, saunter our way around town, and basically just do whatever we feel like whenever we feel like it with no real stress or need to please. This is exactly what I needed post-week nine when all of the stresses of the term are condensing into a final seven or so days.

On actual Thanksgiving Day, Michelle and I hung around my dad's house for a while. We ate pastries and drank coffee. Then, we took a break to go to the beach and walk my dog. To me, there is nothing like the beach. It makes me feel so happy and so at home. My heart swoons for coastal cities. The sky was a beautiful blue all the way across with so much sun it made me wonder how I had not noticed Eugene's lack of it this past week. Basically, I believe that no matter what is wrong in the world, it can be relieved by a trip to the ocean and a cleansing of the feet in its salty water. The beach was even better with such great company.

Upon returning from the beach, Michelle and I indulged ourselves in a table of chips, dips, and cheese and good conversation. Eventually, we moved on to my mom's house for the main course. It was nice to see my mom and spend time with her. She cooks some of the most amazing food I have ever eaten. As soon as I walked into the house, I could smell all of the wonderful flavors I would soon be consuming. The three of us then sat at the table and talked about what we were thankful for and read some animal spirit cards and ate stuffing, green beans, artichokes, turkey, yams, mashed potatoes, and all of the other great Thanksgiving sides. It was so relaxing and delicious. I was able to just feel at peace.

After a couple of hours of the pain on the couch that resulted from all of the gluttony, we moved on to dessert and ate it while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade that my mom had recorded earlier. It was a nice end to the evening.

Thanksgiving was all it needed to be this year - mellow.