"We imagine things that we wouldn't be able to survive, but in fact, we do survive. We have no choice so we do it." -Joan Didion

Ever since my dad passed away, I have been going up to Oregon to spend time with friends, and family who live up there. I have been going up since I was 13 and now I am 19 and this is the first year that I spent a major holiday there.

My dad grew up in Oregon and when I was a child he always told me how he wanted to take me there one day. Sadly, he never got the chance to take me himself, but I am thankful for the opportunities I have had to go.

Spending time in Oregon is always fun because I get to experience what is it like to be in a place that actually has seasons. Living in Florida, it's just hot all the time.

Visiting a place that has dry air and cooler weather is a great change of pace. I always think to myself when I am in Oregon, "Wow, I can see why he loved it here." It is such a gorgeous place to be.

The holidays are still a hard time for me even though my dad has been gone for 6 years. I will always wish that he was here to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas with us.

With that being said, the months surrounding those holidays are often a struggle.

I have grown a lot stronger over time, but there is still that small sting in my heart that shows up when I sit down at the table with my family for Thanksgiving dinner and he is not there.

I find myself thinking about him a lot more this year since I am spending Thanksgiving in his hometown.

Being in Oregon, makes me wonder what it would be if he was by my side, or sitting across from me at the dinner table. We would be able to laugh, and I would be able to tell him all about how November is the most stressful month for a college student.

I know he would have some advice to give me, and that is one of the things I miss the most.

He would be able to show me around and tell me stories about what it was like growing up in a state like Oregon. I know one of his favorite places in Oregon is the lake house where he grew up.

I have spent some time out there with my family, and I can see why he loved it so much. I can picture him taking the boat out on the lake and cruising around, or just taking a nap on the dock that overlooks the mountains (that’s my favorite thing to do when I am there).

This Thanksgiving was definitely a memorable one. I was able to spend time with some great people, but I still wish that my dad could have been there to enjoy this beautiful place with me.