The week has flown. We had some bumps in the road with family members and those took precedent. They always will.
This morning I was going to go to the gym, but I needed some “quiet time”. A time away from people, buzzers and bells. I thought, with less than a week away to Thanksgiving, I needed to get some things going.
I began to assemble food for the weekend, notes to make sure I did not miss family favorites for Thanksgiving, and get lists for shopping, etc.. As I began to pull things out of the freezer, refrigerator and cabinets, I was thinking on my youth.
Today is the 22nd of November. 56 years ago, President John F. Kennedy was shot. The world changed that day. Our innocence was gone. I was 8 years old.
Our lives as children often affect our lives as adults. The assassination of JFK was one of those moments.
This week, I am planning for grandchildren to be here. Wednesday, my plan is to put up the Christmas tree, serve hot chocolate and snacks and be present in their lives. We will also use this day to prep things for the Thursday meal.
Over the years, it has been a rare time there have not been folks who are not family, as well as rare times where we have not had others living with us. (Since the year my wife and I were married, we have joked, hardly has the couch been empty.)
This winter we will be preparing food with some of our church family, as we do each Tuesday, making a meal for 80 homeless folks. Sandwiches, soups and what not. I have found myself homeless in my life, so helping those in need, is important to me.
I am fortunate in my own life. Despite many of the sad and difficult challenges we have had from time to time, my desire to see better has always been there. Many years ago one of our boys was in a coma during some of the holidays, another time our daughter was in the hospital, and yet another year our home was destroyed and we were forced to find another place right before Thanksgiving. But many years, we were able to be on the giving side of life.
In each of these various times, I found reason to be thankful. People and circumstances to be grateful for.
Life is not always easy, but I am convinced that together we can change things to be better. I long ago stopped thinking that all of life was “fair” or that doing everything right guaranteed a positive outcome, but I did learn that people are important. And I needed to value them as such.
Many years ago I wrote a book, The Interrupted Process. It was about things not always going the way I planned. I had realized life is life, and we were able to choose our attitudes and our decisions. Did it come easy? Nope! But over time, I began to value what I did have.
In 1963 my eyes were opened. I have chosen in these days of my life to see innocence preserved when and wherever I can. I hope you will join me.
It is my hope, my heart and my prayer that we will continue as a people to move ahead in better ways, bringing others alongside. I hope this Thanksgiving is filled with thanks.
May you have a great holiday season.
