Thanksgiving (Or a Marriage),Deconstructed

Scripts.
Are you staying on yours? 
Ad libbing is liberating 
But not always welcome.

Expectations.
Rigid and flexible. 
Met and unmet.
Spoken and unspoken.
Every decision a gamble.

Memories.
Brought to the table. 
Faded and fresh.
Some need reheating. 
Some taste better cold.

Stories.
Our own and theirs. 
Mixing together
For good or bad.
Memories are the main ingredient–
Expectations and scripts are the seasoning.

Family.
Blood, chosen, and incidental.
Heavy with meaning,
Like a thick gravy.
The birthplace of our stories.

Laughter.
Authentic and sarcastic.
Does it touch only your face,
Or go to your belly?

Tears.
From laughter, 
Or from pain.
A gentle release.

Broken hearts.
Ours and theirs.
Past, present, 
And what we see coming.
A tender place
And possible points of connection.

Challenges.
The silence between questions.
The edge in a compliment.
The second glass of wine.
The need to be right.
The longing to be seen.

Compromise.
Hopefully. 

Love.
The verb, not the noun. 
The noun is left when the verb is gone, 
Like the turkey carcass when the meal is finished.

People, trying.
Always trying.
With what they know,
and where they are.