This Thanksgiving I did what I usually do: I cleaned while Nonna cooked, I greeted Colin, Sarah, and Oran at the door, and then Vanya, whom we knew as a boy in Kazakhstan, and then I toasted to friends and family present and absent, and then I ate, and overate, and then napped. But I didn’t give thanks. At least I didn’t give enough thanks for what I do have.
Having just returned from two weeks on the Thailand - Myanmar border I am acutely aware of what I do have. The material things are the most obvious and the least important. At home I have safety, opportunity, a sense of permanence . I have the possibility to make a difference, to chose my own life. For these things I should be incredibly thankful. We all should be.
We had a great Thanksgiving dinner. In addition to all the usual turkey, stuffing, and vegetable dishes Vanya brought a big pot of monte, the favorite food of Kazakhstan. Monte are meat stuffed dumplings, and they are delicious. We hadn’t eaten them for years, and they were great! Oran was the only one of us who didn’t overeat, he was too busy running around. Sarah had the excuse that she was eating for two; the baby is due in January.
My trip to Thailand was productive and it was great to see my friends there again.
The first week I went to Palan Japan, just inside Myanmar, and did a mobile clinic there, and almost a hundred people showed up. It was hot and humid, and after spending the day in a small wooden room I was tired! The second week my friend Joyanna joined me and we went into Myanmar to Halockanie, Tee Wa Do, and Bladenpite, where we spent the night under mosquito nets. We did clinics both days and saw lots of people. Joyanna talked with the Tee Wa Do village leaders about our project to collect date from their village. I slept poorly that night in the jungle - too many roosters, dogs, and people up early - and it was surprisingly cold at night.
The trip home was long - all day in a bus and taxi from Sangklaburi, then up early to catch a 7am flight from Bangkok to Tokyo, and than another flight to Seattle. The flights are OK, but long. When I left Thailand it was very warm and humid, when I arrived in Seattle it was clear, dry, and very cold. It’s a different world here, in so many ways.
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving, and are thankful for all we have.