"Loy Krathong," Lanterns and Sufficient Happiness

Flipping to the last page on the 2012 calendar, I am oddly at ease. Looking back on our six months here has made me realize how many emotional hurdles I've not only been able to overcome, but to do so, in fact, rather smoothly. The onset of Fall in the States, my birthday, Halloween and Thanksgiving have all come and gone, marking me deep into a territory I deemed in May to surely be a tough one. My favorite 3 months span of the year has reached its height, the Christmas season. I have journeyed from missing Fall but learning contentment, to a birthday abroad but not alone, to yearning for holiday food but accepting the gratefulness that comes with change to, finally, the peak of Christmas and perhaps enjoying it as much as years before. You might ask, "why?"

Anticipating change from afar, both in time and space, we have trouble releasing our most current comforts and relenting to something new. I have been guilty of labeling transition as too much of a challenge even before it arrives. Coming from someone who is currently in the depth of the most life altering of transitions, I can assure you it's easier than it looked from 8,000 miles away. 

Instead of Thanksgiving, my temporary homeland celebrated, "Loy Krathong," a holiday designed to release worry. In an inverse sort of way, this is akin to our American tradition. When you symbolically release worry, or any other burden that weighs on your mind, into the sky, what is left on the ground other than the true, tangible things for which we can truly be grateful? Worries and prayers were lifting into the heavens exactly where they should be -- into God’s open arms, reminding us that His plan is sufficient and our earthly provisions are beautifully, interwoven methods toward arriving to that plan. There I was, standing on the ground of a different country, experiencing this ancient tradition I realized some only have penciled on their bucket list. Accompanied by my best friend, I realized that we were mere acquaintances when this journey began as compared to now. Having received box after box from the US, I realize how truly and deeply surrounded by love I really was. 

In this 2-pronged ceremony, citizens gather on the nights of November's full moon to release lanterns into the sky and "krathongs" into the water. Intermittent glowing orbs float into the air as people randomly light paper lanterns, their light reflecting off the water in competition only with the krathong's candles below.

This week, our friend from the University, a linguistics teacher named Off, took us to a celebration in the neighboring district. He so patiently maneuvered through the masses of people, having avoided the crazy crowds of Loy Krathong for nearly a decade, and helped buy and light our lanterns. Vendors along the river were weaving banana stalk, leaves, flowers and even bread to create the little floating krathongs which people would send sailing out onto the river. Stacks of collapsed paper lanterns flew off the shelves at less than a dollar per piece, and people gathered at the lake's edge to light them and send them hovering across the water into the sky. Off so kindly juggled cameras, lanterns and lighters as we enjoyed the festivities. He lit the wick underneath the lantern's shell, and we watched as the flame's gasses filled the chamber and pulled away. Our first two lanterns were a success, only narrowly missing a power line, but our next two never joined the others in the sky. Terrified that the paper lantern would catch on fire with each puff of wind, we let go prematurely, and the lantern skidded to a peaceful, flickering stop in the water. The laughter from the mishap was more enjoyable than if the lantern had actually lifted into the sky. We are lucky to be surrounded by such kind, local friends.

And as these friends help us find a piece of home here in Thailand, friends and family back home are making the most wonderful efforts to send us a piece of home for the holidays. Boxes from loved ones keep coming, and we are like children on Christmas morning as we dash into the tiny post office everyday with expectant faces. Packages filled with Christmas movies and music from my childhood, Santa hats and other goodies have brightened this time of the year more than I could have imagined. Maybe it's the deprivation and not being inundated by the traditions like I would be at home, or maybe it's the nostalgia of the US Postal service, but I couldn't be happier.

As for the holiday itself, schools will continue as normal, but we are requesting days off to celebrate our religious holiday since they get to celebrate several each month. We've decided to travel 4 hours north to the one place we know that will be open on Christmas day but still surround us with the spirit of Christmas and a sense of home: Starbucks. So with our salted caramel mocha frappes and our peppermint mochas, we'll relax in the air condition of a familiar chain restaurant and bask in what I expect and hope to be a very Merry Christmas.