Thanksgiving 2014

Where I was born snow symbolized Thanksgiving. Northern Indiana is beautiful this time of year.

Often we awoke on Thanksgiving Day to a fresh snowfall. Everything was covered with a clean white blanket and for a little while everything seemed so perfect.

I have been in Florida for over 40 years now and I have become very fond of Thanksgiving Day Florida sunsets. A nice walk on the beach, some coolness in the air a fitting end to Thanksgiving Day.

If your paying attention to the news; it may seem a bit difficult to feel thankful this year.

You can start in Ferguson Mo. and go completely around he world and find noting but hate, fear, hunger, suffering and injustice. Not a lot to be thankful for.

But you can also start in Ferguson, Mo and go around the world and find love, compassion, caring and people working everyday for justice and freedom.

You just have to look harder for the latter because these acts, don’t sell newspapers, make ratings for TV news shows and cable networks or produce clicks on social media sites.

Every day a lot of people do a lot of good and they really don’t ask much in return. First responders, honest public servants, doctors, nurses, teachers, preachers, truck drivers, trades people, your mom, your dad and the next door neighbor.

There is a lot to be thankful for.

I am sitting in the Tampa International airport as I write this; it’s strangely quiet. Most of the people have look of happy anticipation as they head out for their thanksgiving.

I‘ll be heading over to the east coast to spend the holiday with my family. It’s odd being the patriarch of the family.  I miss my dad most at Thanksgiving.

The sunsets are really not that great in Flagler Beach so I’ll get up early Thanksgiving morning make some coffee, watch the sun come up over the Atlantic and listen to he surf.

There is a lot to be thankful for in a sunrise. A new day, new set of opportunities and a second great grandchild on the way.

I hope you have safe and very special Thanksgiving.

Doc