Thanksgiving: A time for reflection

In a week, our tables will be set and families will gather to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Depending on your family, this holiday gathering could fill you with abundant joy or agonizing pain.

That being said, I’d like to believe many of us experience joyous holiday-get-togethers.

When I was younger, Thanksgiving really didn’t excite me too much. We’d get up in the morning, do our chores and then watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade on the television before my parents loaded us (dressed in our finery) up in the car to travel to grandpa and grandma’s house.

As we opened the front door at grandma’s house, the small of roasted turkey permeated the air. It smelled like a heavenly holiday.

At grandma’s house, there were no slackers. It meant learning to set the dinner table with our grandparents’ fine China dishes and silverware. It meant learning to fold a napkin properly and making certain all the stemware was filled with the age appropriate beverages. “No wine for the kiddos just yet,” grandma would holler from the kitchen.

As I’ve grown older, I think Thanksgiving means much more to me. It’s not the meal that consumes me anymore. Being grateful for itmes money can buy is easy. Being grateful for the people in our lives can be a lot more difficult — especially when you don’t talk to them or even know their names.

Be thankful for the brave men and women who serve in law enforcement and with our local fire departments. They put in long hours doing a job that can be very thankless at times. They leave their family behind when duty calls – sometimes that comes during a holiday. Their sacrifices to our communities should not go unnoticed.

Be thankful for our city and county workers – especially those who are awake before the crack of dawn.

On Easter Sunday 2019, we had a water break at the newspaper office.

Luckily, I had stopped at the office to pick up my computer to write my column when I noticed the carpet near the bathroom was soaked.

I was extremely thankful city workers took time out of their Easter celebrations to shut the water off in our building as well as Jaramillo’s Plumbing for coming to our rescue.

Be thankful for our educators in our local schools and university. Today, many children are coming to school carry heavy burdens – more weight than any child should have to bear. Yet, our educators do their best to provide a safe and stable environment to the children in our communities.

Be thankful to the volunteers in our community. Time is scarce in all lives, and volunteering in your local community does make a difference.

Big thanks to all the folks helping with Turkey Bingo this Friday night, November 22, at Finley Gym. Your talents will make the holidays a lot brighter for many folks.

Be thankful for our elected officials who are working to make positive changes in our communities. It truly is a thankless job. They have to gracefully handle conversations that are difficult and many times uncomfortable. They are challenged to make decisions for the long-term best interest of the community, school district, and community in mind.

Be thankful for your neighbors and the many folks in our local workforce who I have not mentioned.

They willingly give up their holidays to make yours much brighter and to keep you safe.

Without them, our holiday celebrations would be rather dim.

Please know that all of readers will be in my thoughts this Thanksgiving holiday.

I truly wish all of you a very joyous and Happy Thanksgiving!