Yes, I Believe.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. When I was younger, much much younger, I would get all dressed up in a pilgrim outfit that was probably a sibling's school play costume that I found in the attic. I marveled in what those first settlers went through. All in their quest to secure a better life, and worship God, someone our society today seems to try to forget. I imagined the joy they felt to find help before a long winter after so many hardships, and wondered what simple things in my life brought me such joy.

One of my very favorite things to do was to sit and watch the Macy's Parade as it was broadcast in the morning each year. I would marvel at the dancers, the Rockettes, the high school bands, the drill teams and hope that someday I would get to go. Given that I lived across the river most of my life, its surprising that this year was the very first time I ventured out.

I couldn't have picked a better year. The new parade route put the start line at the end of my street, so the 5:00am walk to the fence line couldn't have been easier --- okay, so it could have, I am now ever so covetous of those along Central Park West, with their comfy window views! Nevertheless, meeting with friends early in the morning was fun. And this year, the weather was absolutely fantastic.

In going, I worried that the magic and sparkle that came across on television wouldn't be there ... but it was. Maybe it was the tons of confetti that the clowns threw at us every 10 minutes, but even though we weren't by Harold Square, the dazzle was there. Jimmy Fallon was the most enthusiastic celebrity. It seemed as though his thoughts were "I can't believe I'm on a float in the Macy's parade. This is soooo cool." I love seeing Kermit, Snoopy, and the Smurfs. I loved cheering on the high school drum lines, watching the faces of the children around us as the clowns tossed confetti in their hair, and overall, I loved the humanity of New York where family is concerned.

There was an added bonus of having friends in the parade (and even a client) which made it all that more personal.

I don't know why I waited so long to go. But I'm blessed that the opportunity this year was too easy to pass up. It was the perfect start to a great Thanksgiving Day with family and friends. It was the perfect launch into a bustling Christmas Season. I am so grateful for my supportive family, and for dear friends in the city who make the experience absolutely fantastic. I'm grateful for the seasons we enjoy and the feeling and wonderment that come with them - evidence to me that someone greater than us all created them. I'm grateful for Jesus Christ who made it possible for me to enjoy all of these things, and for me to enjoy my family forever.

Thank you Macy's, for all the hard work. The memories I have from years past and the new memories from this year are wonderful ones full of family and dear friends. As for my answer to the questions on the balloons at the end of the Parade --- Yes, I Believe.

What is it?

All of the social networking tools we have today are great. We find friends we didn't bother to stay in touch with after high school, research people we're interested in (ie socially acceptable stalking), and often find out information we would have been better off not knowing.

Through the feed of such a networking tool, I found out that an ex was getting married exactly 1 year to the weekend of our last face to face visit. I saw it, I crinkled my nose at it, and moved on.

Then one busy Saturday I came home, threw the mail on my bed, and ran out to catch an evening performance. I end up sitting directly behind a former prospect, who was on a date. He saw me and quickly turned around. After the performance, I could feel him turning to talk. Really?!??! I quickly got up and moved out of the row.

Heading home, late, I saw the pile of mail
between me and a good night's sleep - or so I thought. In the mix of lease renewals, flyers, and bills was an enveloped with my address scrawled across the front.

It had been mailed four days before. I opened it up expecting it to be one of several former roommates' wedding invitations. A wedding invitation it was. To the ex's wedding, that day. What!?!? That's right. He mailed it 4 days before the wedding. His wife had forbidden Him contacting me 3 months before. I obeyed - he's since texted, emailed - all of which I've ignored. Who does that? Who thinks "I better send my ex my wedding invitation as I'm on my way out of town to my wedding"?

The color of the insert: Teal - the color of gangrene. Was I holding his cold feet?

I threw it across the room.

In the morning, still incredulous, I called my mother - my wise confidant - whose only reaction was "what is it with you? Nick still calls you on Christmas when he's at the airport with his wife. Jack tries to meet up with you when his girlfriend is out of town. Fred calls you right before he proposes. - and what about those other ones that made you their first call after they got engaged?".

I don't know! I don't know.

But I do know that I'm tired of it. I'm tired of being the last girl they date before they get married. I'm tired of them looking at me such that their wives shoot daggers and their communications come from the shadows. To the wives: I don't want your husbands. You went through my laundry, remember? To the men: what are you holding onto? What is it?