Happy Thanksgiving

I heard the announcer on the radio refer to today, the day before Thanksgiving, as "Thanksgiving Eve." When did we get to this place, where we've accorded an almost religious significance to an American cultural holiday?

When I was a child in school, we got Thanksgiving and the Friday thereafter off. Today my son gets the entire week off, while my wife gets only the two days off from University of Texas. Obviously it's not a commonplace phenomena; but it's taking hold in some places. And, of course, in my chosen profession of nursing, it's almost an irrelevancy for most health care workers. I'm working tomorrow, but Ariane isn't because it's her regular day off. I'm covering for someone attending a funeral. The motivation for me to work is time-and-a-half pay, which is a very powerful motivator. I've worked probably half of the Thanksgivings my professional career -- and most of the Christmases.

This is not a complaint. I'm actually Thankful for the work, and for having a steady job. The first Thanksgiving was all about being Thankful to God that they'd made it across the ocean and survived the horrific winter of 1620, as well as rickets, scurvy, and god knows what other diseases.

So, what are you Thankful for?

I'm thankful I have two good-paying jobs, and more work than I can handle. I'm thankful I'm continuing to lose weight, and that my diabetes is under control. I'm thankful for a far better wife than I could ever hope to fall in love with, and a son who is even now cooking Thanksgiving Dinner in the kitchen -- in between studying Chinese, Japanese, or violin. I'm thankful for our new kittens, the dog, and for the Grace of God. I'm thankful for the house we're going to bid on next week when the legalities are taken care of. I'm thankful for two working cars in good condition with good mileage.

I'm thankful I live in beautiful south Texas where it's 65 degrees right now and balmy. Every view is scenic; every person is friendly; and there is work out the ying-yang for somebody not afraid to get tired.

And I'm thankful you're reading this. Leave a comment what you're thankful for.

~~JD~~