The "New" Normal

Last year, just before Thanksgiving, Mom came to the realization that she would not be able to prepare the Holiday dinner as she always had in the past. She was losing weight, had little energy and the Chemo had taken a toll on her body. This once strong, active, energetic (at one point we bought her an Energizer bunny!) woman, was now weak and frail. She tried, God knows she tried, to set the table and peel the potatoes, but her body just wasn't up for it.

Through the years, she was used to having everyone seated at the table, while she presented dish after dish of lovingly prepared Holiday specialties. And, of course, there was always enough for, as she called it "Cox's Army"! But, this year, she would have to stay seated and let the dishes come to her! Knowing how difficult this would be for her, we decided to change things up. We told her that we would be doing Thanksgiving buffet style. We delicately explained to her, that all those years, we missed the pleasure of her company sitting down with us, because she was busy serving us.

She insisted that this wasn't right, not how we do things, not the normal way we're used to spending the Holiday.

You were so right, Mom! Nothing about this Thanksgiving was what we were used to. Life as we knew it would never be the same. This was the "New" Normal.

It took getting used to, but, every change along the way, from household issues to eating habits, became coined, the "New" Normal.

So, here again, this Thanksgiving, we celebrate another "New" Normal; Thanksgiving without Mom's specialty dishes. Oh, we'll still have them, but without Mom's loving touch and "secret" ingredients. Don't know that we'll ever get used to this "New" Normal. This isn't the normal way we're used to spending the Holiday!