My mother-in-law told me to get up at 4 a.m. to cook Thanksgiving dinner for

The note was short but clear: “I won’t be here to cook this year. Enjoy your Thanksgiving.”As I quietly slipped out of the house, the night was still, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the cool November breeze. My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of fear and exhilaration coursing through me. I had never done anything like this before, but the thought of escaping the suffocating expectations filled me with a sense of freedom I hadn’t felt in years.

Reaching the airport, I felt a rush of relief. Here, in the midst of strangers, I was anonymous and unburdened by the roles others had assigned to me. It was liberating. I found a seat near the large windows overlooking the tarmac, the sky gradually lightening as dawn approached. The vibrant colors of the sunrise painted a sharp contrast to the gray, heavy feeling I’d had back home.