THANKS?

     Ornery even as a child, I used to ask the teacher and parents why we had to confine thanks to one day and what if it was a bad day and one felt there were no thanks to be given? What if there was a great day on another day in the year? Does one hold thanks till the official day or does one acknowledge it that day and does not double play it on Thanksgiving Day? Smart alecky, but then again, I always liked to bust chops with questions for which I did not like the previous answers. Kinda' fun and gets the blood flowing at times when one is so tired that it appears there is no electric left with which to charge. So...… I am thankful for that trait? Ability? Tendency?
     Seriously, though, as we look around this year on this day of thanks, at times we need to look deep and hard, especially when trying to add to the list of family and friends. Well, what if someone unfortunately has no family or friends? That is a bad one indeed. And in looking past that line, what about the rest of the world? Is it selfish for us to give thanks, sometimes smugly, for the house we live in or the car we drive or the fact that there is some spare mad money? I believe no, unless we refuse to share that luck and those blessings with others who do not have them, when we realize that to demonize or discount or discard people because they are poor or have not had the opportunities we have had. Shaking your head? In denial?
     Well, answer me these questions. When was the last time you gave of yourself to others, from the easy method of writing a check or pressing a button? When did you donate time or items badly needed to a pantry or donation center? When did you stop thinking of the caravan members as people and instead as dangerous dudes and dudettes who are "invading" your country, out to get you, out to take your job and use up all the public social resource funding? Hmm...
     We have allowed ourselves to fall into a torpor, one in which we allow bad people, selfish people, to set the tone and the standards - or lack of them. We have turned away from reality as we are vexed with current events and think we can ignore it all, live in our own bubble, but nope, it will not work for every single one of us is and will be impacted by a society of selfishness and nastiness, incompetence and corruption.
     A President who lies constantly, never recognizing a truth, any truth. Congressmen and women who check their morals at the door, ramp up the hypocrisy within their souls, sell those souls for deals or out of fear of a Demented One and a lack of funds for the next run at power. People who shout like the mobs of ancient Rome at the violent killings going on in the arena, salivating at the blood and gore. An atmosphere where a man doing his job has to be ready for insults and racial slurs and then violence and find himself in an altercation where the other guy, the one who started it, dies. Bad day at work for that one? So what are the thanks - that he lived or that it was considered self defense and not charged? But what about the fact that in this day and age the haters feel safe in saying it all aloud, shouting it to the skies, getting guns and shooting their "enemies"? No answers there, are there?
      A world where human shredding by a financially important country is excused. Dictators are given a leg up. Right? Forget about that concept! Acting highest law enforcement officer of the land - now being investigated by an independent federal agency for violations of the Hatch Act and why not, as his ultimate boss also has alleged violations of that Act as well.
     So, thanks? Yes, for my wonderful kids who grew up into caring adults, contributing to society, who have raised great kids in that same theme and who give us great joy, love and affection. Thanks that there are still people out there who are willing to do the good fight and take on those who would slay this country, crumble the foundations of it, and demean all those who are not of them, are 'others'. Thanks that there are still those who believe in a merciful and kind G-d, not the one who demands hatred to evince faith and loyalty. Thanks that growing up I lived in the United States of America that gave us hope, that was willing to sacrifice in order to do the right thing, to learn what the right thing was, that was welcoming to those who shared that willingness, to live the sentiments of the Statue of Liberty.
     So today is a day of thanks but also a day of close quarters examinations. We need to look inwards and change what needs to be changed, to be honest with ourselves, to make outward changes in behavior, to simply do the right thing and fight against the ease of blaming others for bad stuff. Thanks that we still have that ability and freedom to do so, to act upon these thoughts and convictions, change our ways from the wrong path and choose the other one, the path not taken before, waiting for you to imprint your footsteps on its clean and beautiful snowfall. Let us all find beauty in our lives, be thankful for it and try to make more of that in the lives of us all.
      Happy Thanksgiving Day to one and all.