The Southwest Voice

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The meaning of Thanksgiving has changed so much for me over the years.

My parents were the adventurous types who didn't believe in tradition per se. So, as a child, Thanksgiving meant fun family trips to Las Vegas, turkey dinners at the Pink Pony buffet, and long car rides in the back of our van with my big sister and kid brother.

Much to my delight, our family gatherings during Thanksgiving have evolved into more conventional fare.

In recent years, I realized that my loved ones were getting older and I wanted to take as many photos as possible of our family during this annual time of thanks. So, I started setting up my tripod and capturing images of my kin –– with new faces appearing each year.

However, this year a familiar face will not be returning. My grandmother passed away two months ago, but the pain is still very fresh for all of us. She was one of the most beautiful human beings I had the privilege of knowing and she leaves behind an incredible legacy of love. We'll all miss her warm hugs and easy laughter this Thanksgiving. 

However, I know that she will be smiling down at us this year as we take new photos of our growing family. 

I now know that the true meaning of Thanksgiving is love.