A Second Chance at Thanksgiving

It turns out that I did get Thanksgiving after all. It figures... why not go to Japan to celebrate American Thanksgiving? I got invited to go to Akita City with all the other LBWM English teachers and we had a feast together, complete with a turkey imported from Minnesota for the occasion. I honestly had no craving for that kind of food, and it didn't excite me so much to see the stuffing and mashed potatos and everything sitting on the table waiting to be eaten; I think if given a choice now, I would choose Japanese food over Western food. But after saying grace and taking my first bite, I remembered why this meal has become tradition, and why it turns ordinary people into gluttons (though I did not eat too much, I just got comfortably full). I had forgotten what turkey tasted like, how wonderful stuffing is, and how creamy mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie are.
It was a cozy day with fun people.
A cozy day where I spent most of my time trying to take over the world; I think I spent about five or six hours playing Risk. I just didn't expect to stay in the game so long, as I've only played about twice in my life and I was playing with a bunch of men. But much to my surprise, by the time we stopped I had control over three continents and was winning the game. Who knew. I bet I did so good because I started out with 'Alberta' (which geographically was BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan); really I was just defending my hometown.
I am very thankful to have the life that I'm living right now, and thankful for all the blessings that have been pouring down on me. And just one of those blessings was celebrating Thanksgiving with a bunch of friends and amazing food in a warm place when I originally though I never would be able to.
I guess when you give things up and decide to be content living without them, sometimes they get given back in a way you never thought of.