How To Get Your Family Together For the Holidays:
If your family is anything like mine, (stubborn, thick-headed, or anything along those lines), then you probably have tons of issues before the holidays that usually affect the way the holidays turn out.
I’m the middle-man in my family, so I’m usually responsible for passing information from one family member to another. Was this title given to me by choice you ask? Absolutely not.
As you know, today is Thanksgiving in the US. Like usual, my family, (mom, grandma, and uncle) had a big dispute over something let’s say about 3-4 months ago, and haven’t spoke to each other since. Now my grandma messages me on Facebook all the time and a few days ago she asked me what I was doing for thanksgiving. I told her that my mom wasn’t cooking this year, and my grandma said she wasn’t either. She also said that she wasn’t going to my uncle’s house this thanksgiving because the whole family wouldn't be there so no more holiday meals. I could not let that happen. She proceeded to tell me about how she loves my mom no matter what went on between them.
Yesterday I spent the morning with my mom before having to go to class later in the day. My mom started asking me about my grandma so I ask my mom, “when are you going to talk to grandma again?” and she shrugged her shoulders so I slipped into the conversation, grandma misses you. My mom then asked me if that’s what my grandma said, (mind you, she said that she loves my mom but I inferred and told my mom yes.) Then my mom started thinking to herself.
This morning (thanksgiving) my mom texted me and asked me to ask my grandma for her address (so obviously I asked my grandma for her address). My grandma then told me that she’s not cooking, so I told my mom then suggested we all go to her brother’s house (the one she’s not speaking too) and she got all if-y about the whole thing so I continued to talk to my grandma about it and my grandma told me that she asked my uncle about my mom going over his house for thanksgiving (this wasn’t a part of my plan). My grandma said he wasn’t responding so I just told her to tell me what he says when he does.
What happened next made everything all worth it.
My uncle messaged ME (the middle-man) on Facebook saying that I am always welcome over his house. I said “Yeah I know” and he continued with “Your mom too, even though she drives me nuts, lol” And you can only IMAGINE the excitement in my face by now. Of course, I told my mom that my uncle said you are more than welcome to come to his house anytime, even though you guys drive each other nuts lol. And of course, my mom decided that we will go to his house. (Jazmyne-1, Holiday Ruiners-0)
So my point is, sometimes it pays being a middle man. Especially when all you want to do is eat and be merry. If you gotta bend a few words to make something happen (for the best), then do it! I have NO SHAME in what I did!
Hope you all have a great holiday (if you celebrate it) and still, a great day if you don’t!
