For 2 weeks in December my family and I were blessed with the opportunity to celebrate our Christmas holiday in the United States with our immediate families. We started the trip in Central Florida with Amos’s family then ended it with a bang with my family in the south of Florida. It is never easy visiting our home away from home. It can often be pricey, time consuming and sometimes stressful. Nevertheless, it is always an elated experience and something my husband and I make a priority. Visiting our families can be a huge blessing. Our time with both families touches our hearts and souls spiritually, emotionally as well as physically.
We are touched spiritually as we remember our Christian roots by always visiting our home church in central Florida with my in-laws. This church is where my children grew up learning and discovering their faith as my husband and I grew stronger in Christ.
We are all blessed emotionally as we step off the plane knowing that we are back in the place we all grew up; We shed tears as we hug each family member, from grandma, to grandpa, to our sisters and brothers. We all come together to eat, drink, dance, laugh, and reminisce about the great times of our past. We give thanks to God for giving us more chances to reconnect with the many things we missed while living abroad. The energy in which many of these connections bring, improves our psychological health knowing that we are all rejuvenated by love.
We are blessed physically as we are filled with the amazing flavors of our southern black american holiday dishes. Each dish artistically crafted to perfection with love and care. From corn bread, to smothered ribs, to baked mac and cheese, banana pudding, mom’s special pound cake and so much more. It is the soul of the food that touches our hearts and bodies in ways a t-shirt, jacked or shoes cannot. We are greeted with genuine hugs and kisses from those we love and miss the most. We are embraced with gifts we never thought we wanted nor needed as we bridge with one another in peace and joy. We wear many smiles on our faces as we watch the children laughing and playing with their cousins, Each aspect of our visit was never a dull moment, yet moments to remember and cherish forever. These moments felt more precious than gold. Because each year everyone grows older, we ensure to never take these precious times for granted. We talk and laugh with our family, reminiscing on old times as we remind them all how much we love them. We cook and eat with our family, remembering our culture and history attached to each dish. Feeding both our bellies and souls in the process. We dance with our family, each step and rhythm representing our trials and triumphs. And we pray with our family, asking God to lead and bless us as we continue building and enjoying our lives in this foreign country.