Years ago I had a friend from New Zealand who said that Thanksgiving was his favorite American holiday.
I agree with him. It’s a day created for quiet reflection and gratitude for the things we have. Especially in today’s high-speed world, it’s good to decelerate and give thanks.
Here is my list of things for which I am grateful. I encourage you to make a list of your own and share it with those close to you.
1. My family. To say we are atypical would have a chance to win an understatement of the year competition. I was right at twice as old as Kindra when we got married. I am older than her parents and she is about the same age as my children. Her youngest and my two grandchildren are two years apart.
But I don’t think it’s possible for us to be any happier. I wake up every morning eager for the day ahead.
Our wedding four years ago was a low-key affair with a few friends and family and a big pot of chili. I asked my friend Jimmy Gibson to sing a Little Jimmy Dickens song, which in itself is atypical at a wedding.
One verse says: “If anyone could ever say That their true love was here to stay We could, we could you and I.” I have found that to be true, and I am grateful for it beyond words.
2. Plenty of food. There was a time when I didn’t have money for food for a few weeks. This was right after I got out of the military and started college. I should have known better, in retrospect, but I misjudged my finances and the effects of tuition and how long it would take to get my GI Bill benefits going.
My growling stomach reminded of that misjudgment several times a day.
I borrowed money from a friend to buy gas to get work and to class, but I budgeted it closely.
Fortunately, I had planted a garden and was able to catch fish from a local watershed lake. Fried crappie, new potatoes and green beans, fried squash and okra - that’s actually not a bad way to live, but I’d prefer not to go through another period like that.
These days, I’m a sucker for cheap food in bulk, so Kindra and I have several 20-pound bags of pinto beans, rice and flour in the house. Sometimes I walk by and pat them.
3. Freedom to choose. Life is full of choices: - OU or OSU? - Mashed potatoes or fries? - North Korea or the Texas Longhorns? - Baptist or Methodist? - None of the above? Fortunately, the choice is ours, and I am truly grateful for that above almost anything else.
Have a happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
Chandler 2X3 ( 3.42')