When you typically think of this time of year, you usually recall the many lists of things people are thankful for. You yourself probably made one or more of theses lists. You think of time off from school, sitting down at your dinner table and eating a big meal. This is usually the time you and your family discuss what each of you are thankful. It could be your family, friends, food, clothes, home, etc. While I love this traditional aspect, these are things we should do every day. I fully understand that the name Thanksgiving implies the giving of your thanks, there is so much more that this holiday means.

My Thanksgiving this year is what inspired this article. I still had dinner with family, but not around a big table, and not anywhere near my own home. My father decided to take our first vacation in a long time while I had about a week off from college. My mom, dad, and I traveled out the Friday before Thanksgiving. My dad has two brothers in the South, so visiting them was our ultimate goal, but we stopped at few wonderful destinations along the way. We went to various beaches along the east coast such as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Fernandina Beach, Florida; and Cleartwater Beach, Florida. We went shopping in places like Tanger Outlets in Savannah, Georgia as well as a Christmas store in Florida. We also made a visit to Build-a-Bear on our way home. (In case you were wondering, yes I did indeed make something.) My favorite part in all of this was being someplace new everyday. Sometimes it was new state, and sometimes it was a different city in the same state.

As I mentioned before, visiting my father's two brothers was the ultimate goal. The first one we visited was my uncle who lives in Florida. While I have seen pictures of him and he of me, we had never actually met before that day. My dad hasn't seen him in about six years, and my mom even longer. He was so excited to see my dad, and I was very excited to meet him. We also got to see some family friends who were with him. The second one we visited was my uncle who lives in Georgia. He has two daughters, my cousins. I got to see all of them as well as meet some new family. The oldest of my two cousins brought her boyfriend. My other cousin had her adorable three year old son, my second cousin. Getting to see everyone and having Thanksgiving dinner with this wonderful group of my family was a wonderful experience I will cherish forever.

Yes, I am very thankful this holiday season, but Thanksgiving for me is so much more than that. It's a time to see family, no matter where they are. It's time to just relax and enjoy life without focusing on all the things that are stressing you out. It's a time to just sit back and look around at the life you have built. Yes, be thankful and grateful, but don't forget that Thanksgiving isn't about the food, who makes it, or where you eat it.