Common Threads

It started right after the big Back-to-School event. The kids got back into their school routines and then -- it happened. We were bombarded when we went to the store to buy stuff -- plastic pumpkins, candy, paper mache cornucopias, and pilgrims everywhere -- and now we're seeing Santas, fake Christmas trees, ornaments, garlands, bells and lights.

The floodgates have opened. At home and at the office there are scheduled events -- dinners, parties, celebrations, festivities, get-togethers -- call them whatever you like -- I call it crazy because if you aren't crazy now, you will be by January.

Ah...the family and/or co-worker holiday get-togethers -- Do you have any built-in expectations that this year might be different? Perhaps you're thinking that everyone will have a great time and everyone will all get along. It would be a miracle if that actually happened...but it might.

We're all in this together -- we're all family. Common threads abound. We all have a unique bunch of folks in our lives that we work with or are related to in one way or another, who come to the table. Okay, so we aren't really family at our workplace -- at an office party -- or dinner -- or what have you --  but those are similar to our own personal family events.

Everyone has a story...who did what...who said what...at their holiday tables. There are the tired old jokes told by your Uncle (or co-worker) that everyone heard last year and the year before; the sister-in-law (or co-worker) who gets drunk every year; the food item that your sister (or co-worker) brings to the big potluck that's really weird; and of course, there's the latest news at the table to be discussed. Sometimes the news is not good, and sometimes it is.

Some folks are new to the table and some are old hands at this. Some come to the table with their own personal agendas -- at times spoken and some unspoken.

Then there are the reminders -- the reminders that you just can't avoid. There are folks who are no longer part of our personal and work families -- by their deaths, or their leaving to move on to other families; or maybe our own leaving to another place and another family. There may be sad memories of past holiday gatherings and some pleasant memories too.

Thanksgiving dinner is now just a memory, but the rest of the holiday season is still down the road. So, here's just a little "food for thought" to chew on...

I think it's fair to say our families are all the same -- just a little crazy during this time of year -- with lots of common threads between us. Every family member and every co-worker deals with the holiday season a little differently and we can be mindful of the differences we have.