Karen Loftis Rankowitz

Dear Santa, Yes, Santa, I do believe. I’m only going to ask you for a few things this year for Christmas. I’ll start with the easier requests. I’d like a self-loading dishwasher. And would you be able to make the dust on the shelves look ‘festive’ – like snow or frost – instead of neglected? I’d like my father to call me by my name and not those of my siblings or the dog I had when I was a teenager so long ago. I’d like just a little bit more time in each day. You can give that to me through my children. Please have them turn their clothing right-side-out, before it’s washed. Specifically, their socks. Enough Scotch Tape to wrap ALL the gifts. Oh, and some Duct Tape so I can hold myself together this season. I don’t want leggings or tights. But could you give me legs that might look good in them. In years past, I didn’t always get the things I wanted, but that’s probably because I didn’t ask for them. I wanted things, but I stopped working hard to get them and keep them. ...

Oh, the controversy…should retail establishments open for business on Thanksgiving Day? Traditionally this is a holiday when time is spent with family and friends. We give thanks for what we have. Turkeys are roasted, potatoes are mashed, families embrace, and perhaps this is one of the rare times everyone sits at the table for a shared meal, good conversation, and prayers expressing gratitude. In my home, for many years – and I guess it has now become a new tradition, one that is quite different from what I remember growing up – I rise early to prepare the feast. Yes, my mother did much of the same things that I do. However, there is one exception in this cozy scenario. My husband works on Thanksgiving…my father did not. I could feel saddened by this, but I don’t. Instead I choose to be thankful. My husband has a job to go to. Many do not. I still have my husband, my children, and my parents. Many do not. I had a brother who passed away 18 years ago, and while I miss h...