I went in to Thanksgiving this year in expectancy of a food coma. Usually, this kind of thing just hits you when you least expect it, but for 2017’s Grand Thanksgiving Dinner, I came prepared.

The annual GTD experience typically begins with a smell… As soon as I stepped into the home of our hosts for the evening–my aunt, uncle, and cousins who live in Katonah– I was overwhelmed by the familiar aroma of Turkey Day fare. Locking the smell in the back of my mind, I embraced family and friends with warm greetings customary to this holiday of ~good vibes~. This lasted for about an hour or so as more guests joined the party. As time went on, the sense of anticipation grew stronger. After what felt like forever, our hosts invited us to “take our places” in the dining room. With light appetizers behind us and stomachs ready for battle, the buffet line finally started to take shape.

The plethora of dishes set before me, and I would guess the other millions of families gathered to feast on the same meal tonight, looked something like this: stuffing, gravy, 3 different casseroles, green bean, regular potato, and sweet potato, cranberry sauce, cauliflower and brussel sprouts, and of course the star of the holiday, turkey, of which there were two different types to choose from (my aunt and uncle had decided to hold a “Turkey Off” this year, where each of them prepared their own bird, labeling them A and B, planning on having their guests vote on which turkey they preferred). On my plate, you’d find a serving of, I’d say, about 98% of the dishes available, as I was the type who had to try a sampling of everything.

I sat down at the table content, while subtly bracing myself for the food coma to come. I started with the turkey and gravy, and slowly made my way towards the stuffing, my favorite Thanksgiving dish; the turkey was flavorful and fresh, the stuffing warm and hearty. I continued with the various casseroles, and worked my way towards the miscellaneous items, like green beans and cranberry sauce. My good mood reached its peak as I entered that perfect state between hungry and stuffed (maybe one would call it satisfied?). But of course, sticking to tradition at your typical Thanksgiving meal, this moment was fleeting.

Before I knew it, the tryptophan kicked in; my eyes felt heavy and my body went weak. However, of course, I couldn’t resist seconds, so naturally I went back for just a small portion of my favorite items.

This wasn’t the wisest choice though. In fact, I soon regretted it as the weight of my stomach simply couldn’t resist gravity, and started to pull me down. I remained in my seat at the table, slowly taking sips of water, trying to nurse my way back to health and livelihood. I engaged in pleasant conversation with my fellow warriors at the table, as Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without its fair share of political banter and family gossip.

By dessert, the food coma had set in completely and I was chained to my chair, unable to find the nerve endings in my legs that would allow me to stand up and retrieve a slice of pie. I decided to prolong the break between my last bite of stuffing and first bite of something sweet so that I’d be able to do a proper sampling of every dessert.

When the time felt right, I found the nerve endings in my legs once again, along with the will to stand up. I made my way to the dessert table finally. The following scene was set before me: every type of pie I believe a person could ever dream up, along with several other homemade desserts (my aunt Suzy’s famous ones consisted of a giant chocolate log and coffee cake), as well as fruit salad, for those who wanted to salvage their diets perhaps, even though they were long thrown out the window by now.

After devouring a plate of irresistible desserts, I threw in the towel once and for all. I reflected upon my Thanksgiving feast as having been a complete success, with the proof being in a stomach completely filled to its capacity and pants that appeared to have shrunken. I left my aunt and uncle’s house lethargic and content, which is all one could really ask for after the biggest, national pig-out of the whole year.

Most importantly though, Thanksgiving provided us with an opportunity to step back and put our lives into perspective: we think about what provides us with consistent, reliable sources of happiness, whether it be our nuclear families, close friends, health, or fortunate upbringings. We are thankful for the roof over our heads and loved ones to spend the holidays with. I like to treat Thanksgiving as a chance to refocus myself. The holiday forces Americans to re-establish a constant reminder: always express gratitude for the big & small things in life. Doing so can help us spread kindness in the long run.