Thanksgiving

In America we have many, many things to be thankful for. Yet, I bet if you truly went around the table, and NO BS had the actual answers that people were thinking, you'd be a little shocked.

In America there is a seeming concerted effort to push material wants higher and higher up the importance ladder. In other country's that ladders top rung is faith, or perhaps family, or even patriotism. I'm sure that for some Americans that is still the case as well. However, more and more it seems the top rungs are taken up by a want... the want of stuff. Be it newer electronics, better cars, bigger home, more clothing, the list goes on and on...

I can see this disparity as I recall my time in Nicaragua. I met a family there who showed me that with a dirt floor, one pan, and an outhouse, true happiness is closer and easier to grasp than it is in my home now, with heat, 3BRs, and two cars.

Does this mean we can't find it, or be truly thankful, no, not at all. It just means we have to work at it a little harder. We have to look past the computer screen, big screen TV, or new windshield, and see what is REALLY GOING ON in our lives.

Where this is the most apparent and frighting is in the youth of America. We have bisected the relationship parents had with their children in the past and replaced it with the TV, the PC, and the MP3. If some family's were made to sit down and look at each other over a dinner plate, shocking things would happen.

I'm a happily divorced 31 year old with a 12 year old daughter. I seem to be having the same conversation over and over with her.

Thank those who do things for and with you.

I remember when I was her age if I had "forgotten" (read here decided not to), say thank you to someone in the presence of my parents I would get a stern immediate reminder now, and a sore ass later.
Now, I find myself clamming up because I'm worried I'll "blow-up" at my daughter, or yell.... what the hell happened? Why can't I blow-up, why shouldn't I yell? Isn't something out of place here? Didn't we already have the nice calm talk last week? At some point don't I have to ratchet up the volume?

I don't know. What I can tell you is that when the other parent is not interested in being a parent, but wants to be a friend, your left with no legs to stand on.

So...
Thanksgiving.

Take some time with the Big ass TV off, the PC shut down, and the MP3 player out of your ears, and quietly think of just how good we have it. Then thank someone who has done something for you or with you.
Then thank God for all of it... and starting the day after thanksgiving (heres the tough part) REPEAT DAILY.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING