Thanksgiving is almost upon us. It is always a stressful time — too much travel, too much food, too many people in one room, too much family. But it is also a time for forming memories. There will be moments, good and bad, that will become part of family lore, retold long after everyone goes home and the dishes are finally cleaned. And while horrible in the moment, disaster during times like these make for the most interesting stories going forward: do you remember that time when Uncle Bob spilled all of the gravy on the brand new rug? High emotions make for long lasting memories. Spilled gravy makes for a more memorable story than delicious gravy. It’s just how we are built — we remember the insane stories better than quiet ones. And when we retell those stories to our children, we try to turn them into teaching moments: Uncle Bob shouldn’t have been trying to carry hot dish without gloves, even if he tells everyone he has asbestos fingers. Thanksgiving is not only family togetherness time, it is also the time for filling out college applications — double stress. I’ve helped a lot of kids with their essays…
