Page 9 - November 2020 Voices

even victory for your favorite political family fumed and fought. Dad remained silent
candidate. on the sidelines just as he always did. Would our

Rising above what divides family ever learn to rise above, to instill those
us will be a challenge. We must same values within ourselves and the future
and will learn to adapt. I know generations? It didn’t seem so. There was much
this sounds quaint but, for 57 at stake. Regretfully, some of those divisions still

years of my life I didn’t think our exist today. What I learned from the split in our
Thanksgivings would ever end. For tight knit family is that the only behavior one
my family, the traditional yearly can control is our own. The expression “I am
event came to a screeching halt on not my brother’s (or sister’s) keeper” comes to

October 8, 2015, the day my mother mind as I watched fights and disagreements arise
died. I sunk. I lost my biggest fan, that should have been extinguished. For some
and my heart broke into pieces. What I people, there was no returning, no going back
wouldn’t give to relive just one more to the way things were, and that is sad for me.

Thanksgiving with her. I have observed a stubbornness to tightly held
Moving forward, my belief systems that I didn’t fully understand. I
family adapted and now see how that parallels society today. When
changed in ways I a belief system does not include love or respect

never thought possible. for other family members, it hurts all of us. That
Initially, there was a hurt often echoes out. I learned that each person,
big divide among regardless of their position has a responsibility
family members to give love. It’s not about what we get in return,

a f ter her it’s about what we give.
death. I grew to The great political divide in American today
understand that it rivals many families as we all struggle for our
was my mother’s own identities. America is now forming a new

presence to calm identity again as it did over 200 years ago when
the clan, to instill the founders formed our great union. Divisions
respect in our seem to be the speak for the day as Covid-19
family unit and keeps a grip on behavior and people highly relate

not my father’s. with politics like never before.
Mom’s love was The same year of Mom’s death, delight
missing, and the came for me in a big way as I was rescued from
gap widened as our trying to copy my mother’s superb cooking.

VOICES! | NOVEMBER 2020 9