A day for everyone to give thanks, and to remember those days gone by

FROM MY FRONT PORCH

Sam Houston is the publisher of the Hood County News. He is also an actor, author, playwright, performer and entertainment producer/promoter.

It is almost Thanksgiving Day. It will be my 66^th Thanksgiving to celebrate and so the day conjures up a lot of memories. I imagine the same can be said for all you readers. Just the mention of the day and the brain starts to replay video of past holidays.

My remembrance focuses on being at my grandparents’ little farmhouse. I would guess it was no bigger than 1,300 square feet and when four sets of aunts and uncles and seven grandchildren piled in, it was stuffed as tight as a Nathan’s hot dog. Most often the weather outside was cold and forbidding, so we young ones were forced to stay inside. This led to a copious amount of scolding from our parents as the amount of noise we created rose to ever-increasing levels. Once one of the adults addressed our behavior, we would all simmer down for a short time, and then we would be back to making the same amount of racket we had created previously. Our folks were fighting a losing battle, and I think they all knew it.

The meals were always great, and everyone had their favorites. I still see my grandmother, mom, and three aunts all helping to cook in the tiny kitchen. Nothing will ever taste as good as those meals.

Once the meal was over the family card game would start. The Houstons played 5-point Pitch and the competition was fierce. One of the proudest moments in my life was when I was finally old enough to play in the adult game. It was memorable to play with the aunts and uncles who, because of distance, I seldom got to spend time with, and to attempt to beat my grandfather and dad. Both had a way of being able to “snap” a card when they threw it on the table, and the sound still rings in my ears.

There was my first Thanksgiving alone, when I had graduated and moved off to my first job. I was hundreds of miles away from my family with no vacation time off from work and little money to be able to afford to travel. I stayed in my small apartment, made Thanksgiving chili and watched football all day. I was by myself, but I did not feel lonely or alone. I was proud I had set off to make my own trail, and the experience somehow seemed like another passage from youth to adult. Having Thanksgiving by myself let me know I was no longer a child.

This year, our family will be together. There will be food to eat, stories to tell, and grandchildren to play with. We will be creating memories for the youngsters, and reliving memories for us “oldsters.” I have taken the role of the patriarch of the family, the one my grandfather held for so many years. How did I come to be cast in that role? How did I become so … so … well … old?

Through it all, I will be thinking of the ways I have been blessed over the past year, and how thankful I am. My health is good, my marriage is strong, my grandchildren are healthy, and I have the good fortune to work with wonderful people doing something that is meaningful to our community. I have my Miss Jayne to look after, fun friends to go through life with, and the sense to know how lucky I am.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday. Stop and take a minute between bites of green bean casserole or pecan pie to acknowledge all the reasons you have, to be thankful. When you do, I bet it will give you a warm feeling and a glow of contentment. It does not get much better than that.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thought for the day: There is something for everyone to be thankful about on Thanksgiving, even if it is just not being a turkey.

Until next time.

sam@hcnews.com | 817-573-7066, ext. 260