Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, and I am not alone in feeling this way. Many people prefer Thanksgiving over all our other holidays. The reason for its popularity might be the variety of pies, combined with nonstop football, but that theory doesn’t make a lot of sense since we can and do get plenty of pies and football other times.
My appreciation of Thanksgiving really started when I went to boarding school in the ninth grade, and Thanksgiving was the first time in over two months when I could sleep in my own bed, see my family and old friends, and eat Grandma’s home cooking. In other words, it was not simply Thanksgiving Day that meant so much, it was the entire four-day weekend.
As I have gotten older (perish the thought), Thanksgiving is more and more an opportunity for me to be grateful for all my blessings, and they are many—two parents who each lived 91 years and 20 days and loved me from the time I was born until the time they died; my bride of 32 years who is the most giving human being I have ever met; two loving children who are independent and hardworking; good health (without which it might be difficult to enjoy some of the other blessings); this great country of ours where we are able to enjoy freedoms and security not available throughout much of the world; and this beautiful and welcoming town of Malibu, which is now my home.
I am keenly aware that not everyone is dealt the good hand I have been. I can only hope that you, my readers, have something in your life to be grateful for, and someone meaningful with whom to share your blessings this holiday weekend. Happy Thanksgiving!