If you've ever been to a college football game, especially in the SEC, you know it's steeped in tradition. So am I!
I took some friends to their first University of Georgia football game in Athens! We were all excited! I told them about the Dawg Walk before the game. That's when the Redcoat Vand makes two lines and plays while the team runs through the tunnel of people. As we walked up to the stadium during pre-game, I stopped them to listen to the Battle Hymn, a trumpet solo played in the Upper Deck, for all of the 92,000 fans during pre-game - a moment that still gives me goosebumps.
Traffic and the need for food kept us from those moments this time, but those moments still filled the air and electrified the city of Athens, just like they always do!
The weather was PERFECT weather for a Fall football game! Chilly and sunny with beautiful colors on the trees!
4th Quarter begins : Bulldog style! A stadium full of hands fly into the air, holding up 4 fingers. The fans drifting into boredom or food and beverage comas become alert. You can hear the finest band in the land playing "Krypton", the Superman fanfare. The crowd is PUMPED! One of my friends says, "What are we doing?" In an impatient moment, I respond with, "Just hold out a 4 in the Superman pose!" Well, that didn't clear things up at all! I explained it to her later.
A Traditional nomad for Thanksgiving...
One of my favorite vocabulary words I learned in school was nomad: a person with no permanent home who moves place to place. I connected it with some of my family in the military. I've been a nomad for Thanksgiving for the last 4 years, since I moved cross country, back to Georgia, and my parents are in San Diego. For the last 3 Thanksgivings, I've gone to a different house. I've been abundantly blessed to have friends and family welcome me into their homes and to enjoy their traditions. I've felt like part of the family, been allowed to share my pumpkin pie (with only one hiccup). I've played in an annual
Kickball game. I've even gone to the same friend's house for weekend leftovers!
Despite the beautiful gifts, I haven't had the opportunity to cook with my mom while watching the Parade. I have been Black Friday shopping, but it wasn't the same.
Only 1 of the 3 years were there Turkey Notes. WHAT'S A TURKEY NOTE? Excellent question.
Turkey Notes go back to when my mom had Thanksgiving as a kid. Her parents and her 7 brothers and sister would each read a little note for them around the table. Back then, in its purest form, Turkey Notes read like "Turkey Red, Turkey Blue. Turkey says I love you. As the kids grew and evolved, so did the Turkey Notes. Quick poems grew into satirical verses. Content centers around that personality or an event that the person experienced that year. I've had Notes about tv shows I've loved, my weight loss journey, and even my Facebook activity. I've written some stellar ones too!
Anyone who comes to our family Thanksgiving gets a Turkey Note. You're part of the family! I once had the guy I was dating over for Thanksgiving, and to this day, he still talks about his Turkey Notes with gratitude.
For both of the Thanksgivings in the last few years where I was at a friend's house, I've considered bringing Turkey Notes to the table. In both cases, there were too many people I didn't know to write a Turkey Note for each person. That didn't stop my family from sending me one!
Whether it is missing the Dawg Walk at a Georgia Game or not having Turkey Notes around the table, it doesn't diminish those experiences! I've made new memories! I get to do life with the best people, as messy as it is sometimes! The thing about traditions that I've been reminded of this week is that while they are an important part of us and our history, we have to focus on the gifts we are receiving in that moment! I wouldn't trade the experiences of sharing the Georgia Game Day experience with those ladies. I wouldn't trade the friendships that so lovingly opened their Thanksgivings to me! I'm hopeful for the Thanksgivings to come and the traditions I will start with my own family one day! There are plenty of tailgates and Turkey Notes in my future. And if you come to my family Thanksgiving, you too will get a Turkey Note.
Speaking of Turkey Notes, time to go write some! Have a blessed, abundant, and grateful Thanksgiving!
