Going Home for the Holidays

As the semester draws to a close, we are going into the part of the year that seems all our blessings are coming more into view. This is the time we all think of going home for the holidays. We start thinking of large family gatherings, telling old tales around the dinner table or fireplace, and relaxation and comfort. However, there are likely some people that may not be going home for the holidays, whether it is by choice or not.
While it is easy to let it get you down, I have a couple examples of some of the hidden blessings I got last year. It was the first time I had ever missed my family’s Thanksgiving dinner. I stayed on campus because I was working a job off campus. Looking back, the two hardest things about missing Thanksgiving were that I missed my family and that I was missing my mom’s amazing cooking. However, I was able to call them over video chat and they even set me a place at the table so that I could be with them at dinner time.
Then, to make things even better a family friend was headed down the coast and was dropping off some drawing supplies. Little did I know that my family had frozen some of the leftovers and had driven it down to me. It made my day. I was able to both see my family and get some of my mom’s cooking. It made me realize that while it may be hard to be that far away from home, there are still blessings that are within that hardship that you will look back on and smile. Because of this, I was more than willing to stay this Thanksgiving break to work at the barns. So, this year I get to add being with the horses in the mix of all my blessings!
In conclusion, while it may be easy to fall into the negative view of things, take a second to find the good in it. The holidays, no matter what holiday you celebrate, are meant to be a time of positivity and hope. Also, if you start to get homesick or already are, talk to someone. There are so many of us that have either gone through it or are still going through it and are more than willing to help you.