Happy Thanksgiving

By Hennessy:

Permit to begin by wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. Perhaps I should say, a Meaningful Thanksgiving. You see, this is the one holiday we gather as family not to exchange toys, gifts, bad fruitcake, or watered down eggnog. This is the day we come together, as family, as friends, as one.

We are where we are because of many things; jobs, childhood homes, family nearby. You are where you are because that is hopefully the ideal place where you are in comfort, peace, and love. True, we only live in houses, but it is what is inside that makes it a home, and so very special. It is the people, the memories, and pictures of your life from a time gone by on the walls. Sometimes, it can be merely the smell of a good meal that rekindles a smile from your mind of when your mom or grandma cooked or baked. Memories; may they never dwindle or disappear.

Thanksgiving is a time of gathering as I have said. We travel this day more than any other to be with those we care so much for, love so dearly, and wish to spend this meaningful day with. Planes, trains and automobiles criss-cross the globe joining loved ones to celebrate a day of cherished times and laughter. We sit at a table, across from one another, and on this day, we talk. I find this humbling as out of the three hundred and sixty five days of they year, we get this day to talk. We speak of all that we have done and been through since we last sat together; the talk is of pride, our accomplishments, a new baby, or maybe grandpa saying he is just glad he woke up today. I find this most amazing that we can cram the previous year into one day of all that we are, of all that we have done. It is a shame we don’t get to do this everyday. I guess we don’t have Ozzie and Harriett for parents and the ‘50’s are just a memory gone by.

For those of you that don’t know a poet by the name of Samuel F. Pugh, I shall introduce him to you. He wrote a poem about our day long ago, I guess back when the words he penned were symbolism over substance. He spoke of having food, but remembering those that went hungry. Work, when others were jobless. A home, and acknowledging that even in his time, some went without. He went on to ask that he remember when he is pain free, that he knows others suffer. Complacency was to be ridden of; it was to be replaced with the understanding he is to help others. For those that cried out for help, give to them, and take nothing for granted. He closed with an Amen. Thank you Mr. Pugh, I too shall do my best in life to honor your wisdom and kindness.

Today, we are to be grateful, thankful and remember why God put us all here. When all of you gather at your tables, and the sights, sounds and smells of this day permeate your mind, give thanks we are not in Baghdad, we are not in an AIDS hospital in Africa, that we are not in a soup line during the Great Depression, and that September 11, 2001, God willing, shall never happen in our lifetime again. Rejoice in the fact that the lights are on, the heat is working and soon after that sumptuous meal, yes, we can all sit back, loosen our pants, and slip deep into that wonderful after turkey food coma. Just don’t forget to buckle when you get up.

As I went to the bakery to get our pecan pies, I passed a car with a license plate bearing the word GR8TFUL. I would be that too if I had the car that the plate was on. But, I have a Harley Davidson, and they don’t, enough said. Yet, that plate got me to thinking about the word "grateful", and just what I am grateful for. This past week here has been rather tumultuous with regards to Jennifer and the treatment she is receiving for her MS. I am not exactly grateful of what it does to her, robs her of and how it saddens me; however, it is helping her to maintain a quality of life she and I can be thankful for. This God forsaken disease has taken away so many things, but it has not worked its evilness and trickery on our souls. I do have to be a caregiver for the rest of my life, but I am grateful that Jennifer smiles at me and tells me I am the bestest caregiver anyone could ever have. It saddens me to hear that, it makes me weep openly and humbles me to no end, but I am grateful and thankful someone in my life lets me know I matter to him or her. And for that, I accept this as a pathway to peace. I cannot think of a better thing in life.

Wherever you are my friends, and whoever is at your home, I sincerely hope that you have a most magnificent day. My table is already set here, the vases of flowers adorn it and I sat and polished the silverware all afternoon. I shall cook and serve Jennifer our holiday meal and after we unfold our hands and our prayers have been said, we shall sit by the candlelight and well, talk. Our Thanksgiving is just ours, just us together. Being together this day, in love, side by side as the candles flicker on in time, is a joyous occasion I shall forever cherish in my heart. I wish this for all of you. May you enjoy your talks on this Thanksgiving day and God bless you all.