Thanksgiving is a tradition that brings people together and portrays their gratitude toward each other, typically through a big family meal. It happens on one of the dates between October and November, before Christmas. Thanksgiving has always been a favorite, and the most significant holiday within our family, and on Thanksgiving 2023, I was granted the opportunity to spend with my cousins from Texas. My aunt immigrated to Texas even before I was born; thus, I wasn’t fortunate enough to meet her. My sister and I both flew in and planned to meet in Texas since I live in Illinois and she lives in New York City. However, I ended up missing my flight and had to get a connection flight that flew from ORD to LAX to DFW, which ended up taking about 9 hours due to waiting time, connection, and everything; it was not a pleasant experience for me, since I was flying alone and ended up being stranded alone in the middle of LAX as a 14-year-old.
However, after a long struggle, I got to Texas. There was a huge surprise waiting for me once I got there. My cousin Brian had a baby boy called Noah. He is three years old and has the most apparent blue eyes with this chocolate hazelnut brown hair. He looks at you with the shiniest eyes and an unmistakable big smile. Before meeting him, I had no idea he existed since my cousins thought it would be a wonderful surprise. As I opened the door, I was first greeted by crying noises. At first, I thought it was their dog, but then I realized they had a baby. Brain got married to this amazing woman named Ashley in 2020. And after three years, they were blessed with the angel Noah. I instantly fell in love. My tiredness from the airport washed away through my encounter with him. During my time in Texas, my priority was spending as much time with him. He instantly gave me baby fever. Since our families and relatives are so far apart, holidays such as Thanksgiving, New Year, Christmas, and others give us a chance to reconnect with them.
In Texas, I was welcomed by so many family members that I hadn’t seen in forever or had never had the fortune of meeting. It was a significant and touching Thanksgiving. I have to admit that it’s sometimes tough to live away from my family but it motivates me to study harder and overcome any obstacles I face during my school year. My Thanksgiving in Texas is one of my most memorable and meaningful holidays and I look forward to living with my family as soon as I graduate. I also hope to make better memories with my family in the near future.
By: Minjung Park
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