A time for thanks

As the hour turns to a day of thanksgiving we reflect on what that really. If we look at this from a historical view it is a time to appreciate what we have in this great nation. Did you know earlier this month on election day a small town in the Midwest elected an 18 year old to be mayor? No this was not a stunt or prank, an 18 year old had some issues with the politics and direction of the incumbent and decided to take a stand and put his money where his mouth was. Taking money from a summer job, he ran and won. Now prior to graduating high school he is about to take office as mayor of the town. To some extent it is not about who wins, it is the process that we should be thankful for. We have the oldest form of government that has had nothing but peaceful transitions on a continual set basis. We share freedoms not enjoyed by other countries, those freedoms guaranteed by not weapons or even documents, rather by a belief, a belief formed in the 1770s. So that is one way of looking at this Thanksgiving.

Another is to look at this Thanksgiving and be thankful for our health and that of our family. According to the CDC (center for disease control) 99.3 percent of all infants live to see their first birthday in2002, as compared to 87.6%. Life expectancy has increased by almost 9 years since 1975, only 30 years. We live in a time where we are experiencing a wealth of new innovations in health and medicine barely imagined decades ago. This is not to say we do not have horrible debilitating illnesses, but very few diseases are without hope. Unfortunately there are still too many people in this country that do not have access to the same medical care, especially children that many of you reading this enjoy. This is something that needs to be addressed for clearly medicare as it stands right now is not the solution. We have arguably the best doctors and facilities on the planet, we just need to make it available to some of those that need it the most. However as we reflect on what we do have, the health of our community is far better than it has ever been.

But maybe that is too abstract. How many of us have traveled on this day that is meant to be spent with family. Be it by car or rail or air, a considerable portion of this country is moving from place to place to be with those remote. How long ago was it that travel was measured in days and not the hours we expect now. Sitting on a plane direct from San Francisco to Baltimore where my parents live I sat next to a gentleman calmly working on numerical puzzles. When we both got up to go to the bathroom a can of apple juice was spilled into his seat. The stewardess placed blankets upon the seat and apologized, but this gentleman could not have been more calm stating that if that was the worst that was to happen to him, well he is a lucky man. He was going home to his wife, his kids, and his parents, he was a happy man. Never should we take for granted the gift of transportation in a manner never enjoyed by earlier generations.

So be it the joy of a country that expounds its freedoms to all of its citizens regardless of age, or the health of those closest to us, or even the ability to spend precious time with those not as close as desired, we all should find something to be thankful for. This day of Thanksgiving is more than just having a turkey and watching the Macy’s day parade. It is also a day of reflection for all that was done to make our lives, our community, and our family what it is today. God Bless, and have a great Thanksgiving.