Thursday is Thanksgiving, which I must say is one of my favorite holidays. There isn’t the pressure to buy the perfect present that there is for some other holidays. Really, all I have to do is show up for dinner and behave myself with my wife’s relatives. That’s not the reason I like Thanksgiving. I like it because it forces me to take a step back and review the many blessings I have to be thankful for.
Let me share a few of the things I am thankful for. On the top of the list is my wife to whom I have been married for 39 years. Those years have been filled with great joy and difficult challenges. To use a favorite word of mine, we have persevered and I am eternally grateful for that.
As a result of my marriage, I am blessed to have five grandchildren, age 10, 8, 6, 4 and 15 months. Four of them were at the house yesterday dressed in Brett Favre jerseys watching the Minnesota Viking football game.
I feel very lucky to be teaching at Churchville-Chili Middle School. I landed here 12 years ago after a long-time career in radio and I have thoroughly enjoyed my students, my colleagues and even my bosses. I also feel very fortunate to be able to deliver these messages twice a week. It has allowed me to get to know many students who are not in my classroom. It has allowed me to pass along the values I was given by my parents whom I will thank this Thursday even though they are no longer with me.
We all have much to be thankful for. Chances are good the ones you’ll think of on Thursday will have to do with other people—your friends, your family, maybe even your teachers. Whoever they are, take time to be thankful for them on this important holiday.