Being Alone and Fine with It

Greetings, Vocal readers. Thanksgiving, a time of spending time with our loved ones, will be here before you know it. According to a study posted on Vice, five percent of Americans plan of celebrating this holiday all by themselves. This was significantly lower from 2024 where it was around 14%. The last time I've spent Thanksgiving with my family was back in 2010. Nearly 15 years later, I've since had a different perspective on this holiday. Many people would feel sorry for me because I'm single and alone on Thanksgiving. While the gesture is well-intentioned, I've resigned to the fact that I don't have to make a huge deal out of this day. Also, I don't necessary need people to make me feel happy. The only person who's responsible for my own happiness is myself. In the past, I would watch my Dallas Cowboys play on TV every Thanksgiving. I now treat this day as a regular one.

Being alone on Thanksgiving actually works in my favor, as opposed to it having negative effects. Cooking a big meal for one takes too much preparation and it's time consuming. I like to keep things as simple as possible. I listen to Christmas music and watch Christmas movies. When people ask me to spend Thanksgiving with them, I would politely decline. The reason is because I don't want to feel like that I'm being a bother or imposing. As far as what foods I eat for Thanksgiving every year, it varies on how much money I have left after paying all of my bills. I try to keep my budget as small as possible. I might buy the foods that I already enjoy, such as pizza and hot dogs. I know those are not Thanksgiving staples, but as a picky eater, I don't really enjoy eating turkey that much. In fact, I'm all turkeyed out.

Happiness comes from within and regardless of if I spend Thanksgiving with other people or solo, being thankful for the things and people I have is enough. Being thankful, regardless of my circumstances, is what makes me human. One of the things I'm thankful for is you, my faithful readers and subscribers on Vocal, who take the time to read my stories and support me. I rarely or if ever give myself credit for going through many obstacles and challenges in life, because I don't want to feel like I'm bragging. I'm thankful for the simple things in life and having faith is one of the things that help me get through the difficult and trying times. I'm thankful for having a roof over my head, a career, and people who love and appreciate me. Sometimes, we worry so much about the things that we don't have as opposed to appreciating what we have now. Be thankful that you have things like a stable career, housing, and great people in your life. There are those who are unfortunately less fortunate than we are. Every day is a blessing, so cherish every minute of it. Tomorrow is never promised, so live every day like it's your last. To those who are or have been estranged from family, remember that there are people who care about you. You may not think so, but it's true. I hope my story gave you a bit of hope. May your Thanksgiving be filled with joy, peace, and happiness.

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