Thanksgiving is tomorrow and aside from being arguably the best holiday out there — no presents to fret about, just a table full of food to plow through — much of the reasoning behind the day seems to get lost in the mix of turkey stuffing and in-laws and family so distant you’re not sure if it’s your second cousin or your uncle who’s hogging all of the gravy.
Not that many are donning hats with buckles on them (what was up with that anyway?) or bending over backwards to thank Native Americans for helping the pilgrims through a pretty mean winter, but we all ought to be thankful nonetheless.
Why?
Well, for starters, it is called Thanksgiving.
It’s in the title, that should definitely count for something.
And whether you’re planning on dining with dozens and have six pies to bake (apple, mince meat, pecan, pumpkin, cherry and pumpkin — two pumpkin? Sure. It is Thanksgiving after all) or a frozen dinner alone, be thankful.
Whether you’re giving generously to those in need throughout North Kitsap or are among those in need in North Kitsap and are getting your meal from Fishline, ShareNet or the Kingston Food Bank, be thankful.
If you’re looking forward to bloating on the sofa and watching football in an attempt to digest the mammoth proportions of turkey and cranberry, loosening the ol’ belt in hopes of making room for pie, or working Thanksgiving Day, be thankful.
The bottom line is that no matter what life is throwing at you and whether you are high on the hog or down in the dumps, there is always, always something to be thankful for..
If you’re reading this, you can be thankful you’re literate. You can also be thankful that it was delivered, either to your home or newspaper stand (hopefully dry and on time). If you’re reading this on the Internet, you can be thankful that the technology is available for you to do so.
Give thanks for big things in your life, but don’t forget the little things that make your experience on this planet unique. Sure it’d be great to have a six-figure salary and the adoration of everyone but maybe you should just give thanks that you’ve got a warm cup of cocoa and a cat on your lap.
Give thanks.
The Herald does. What are we thankful for? Plenty. But here’s a short list…
Our readers, our advertisers, and the people who make the news. Kingston. Port Gamble. Poulsbo. Hansville. Suquamish. Little Boston. Indianola. Keyport. Eglon. Our schools, our teachers, our students, our volunteers and our local businesses. Hood Canal and the Puget Sound. The view of the Olympics. The view of the Cascades. Being close to Seattle yet far away. Our civic organizations, our elected officials and our veterans. Our right to free speech. Your right to free speech. Our developers and our environmentalists. The past 105 years of community support.
The community in general.
It’s wonderful to live in North Kitsap. That alone is reason enough why we should all truly be thankful.
