Happy Thanksgiving

Happy belated Thanksgiving. I had a wonderful week with friends and family which is what I am most thankful for. My hubby’s 15 year old niece was with us for a week. We had so much fun. I feel bad, though, because we were so busy in the final stages of our move, that she had no choice but to help out (cleaning fridge, windows, etc.) But, she is such a good girl, she never complained. My hubby’s family is so sweet and down to earth and open minded, it never ceases to amaze me.

At one point of conversation, my niece said something to the effect that her cousin (who is first generation born-American) said “those Americans were acting so crazy buying up everything.” My niece, who is also American born, was relaying a story about how funny it is to them how crazy people can act when shopping the day after Thanksgiving.

Fair enough. I imagine people who shop the day after Thanksgiving are crazy, but they are “people” not “Americans”. I pointed this out. I asked her and my hubby when they think that people start feeling like they are the Americans that they technically are. She was so embarrassed and said that it was wrong for her to say something like that because it infuriates her when people tell her that she is not an American. I explained to her that it was harmless latent racism and that I wasn’t trying to make her feel bad, but was curious as to how first generation Pakistanis truly felt.

I think, like all generation before us that settled in America, it does take a couple of generations until one truly feels they are “American” first and then their parent’s or grandparent’s homeland is the root of culture. But, with prevalent racism in America around people of color and people who practice Islam; coupled with the fact that some new communities tend to be so close knit, it is hard to for individuals to define themselves.

Another point of interesting conversation was Thanksgiving. My niece, who has grown up in America loves Thanksgiving as my hubby does as well. We had a wonderful feast with my relatives inside my Aunt and Uncle's home. As always, each person was very careful to not include pork in any of the dishes. No the turkey was not halal and yes there was an abundance of alcohol, but we all tolerated one another, loved one another and in the end said a prayer of thanks to one God. We are a family, albeit a diverse family, but we are all thankful to our God for our family, health, COUNTRY, and freedom.

When we returned, my niece was chatting away with some of her Pakistani friends from school. They, too, are either American born or studying at American schools. She asked them what they did for Thanksgiving. One girl responded, "We don't celebrate Thanksgiving, remember!" As to suggest that my niece might have forgotten that they (either Pakistanis or Muslims, I'm not quite sure of the context of "they" in this one)don't celebrate Thanksgiving. My niece laughed because like I said, my sister-in-law has raised her and her siblings in America and they have always celebrated Thanksgiving.

I would be interested in hearing what anyone who might read this dull blog might have to say on this topic.