This Thursday we will celebrate Thanksgiving. Contrary to popular opinion, the first Thanksgiving really wasn’t about Native Americans and the Pilgrims bonding and sharing each of their respective delicacies. And I doubt that the Pilgrims had big shiny belt buckles that matched their glossy shoes with smaller matching shiny buckles.
The truth is the Pilgrims sought a new land where they could freely practice their devotion to God and to follow the laws of their God. They recognized that all they possessed was a gift from their Maker and that they should take the time to be thankful. That is the essence of Thanksgiving.
It still is.
Personally I enjoy the simplicity of Thanksgiving. Families gathering to spend time together and to focus at least for a day upon all that they have instead regretting what they don’t have or fretting over what they aspire to have.
At times we are probably all guilty of feeling sorry for ourselves because we don’t have something that we want but don’t necessarily need. And that’s ok I suppose. It is after all the culture that we are brought up in – to achieve something that our parents didn’t; to help our children achieve something that we can’t or won’t.
But Thanksgiving is a time to exhale. Look around you. Look at your loved ones. Look at who you are and what you are because of them. Think about what you have instead of what you don’t have.
I remember a couple of years ago on a brisk and refreshingly bright early Thanksgiving eve, I walked outside alone. The air was still and the black sky was littered with twinkling stars. Off above the horizon was the moon peering through a cloud – the only cloud in the sky.
The wind was still and every molecule of my breath was clearly visible against the backdrop of the dark sky and barren trees.
It was one of those fleeting moments when everything comes into clear view and you can almost feel a weight unburden your shoulders.
The chill of the night began to grip me and I retreated to the warmth of my sister’s home. Somehow after a peaceful timeout under a dark autumn sky I felt more appreciative of that home and certainly my sister who has always been there for me – in many ways she has been my Plymouth Rock.
Today as I sit and share this reflective moment with you, I’d simply like to say thanks to you too. Thanks for considering my opinions and for visiting 24×7. Our journey has exceeded five years now and there’s a long, long way to go. I’m happy you’ve at least taken in part of the journey with us and I’m hopeful that you will stay much longer.
There are so many that I want to thank for being part of my world and part of the 24×7 world. If you’ve touched us in even a small way, thank you!
And then there are those whom without we wouldn’t be what we are today and those folks are deserving of mention. Please forgive me in advance if I unintentionally omit anyone.
To the troops of the armed forces – thank you for preserving our freedoms and for enabling us to all passionately follow the game of football which in the grand scheme of things is so unimportant. Your selflessness humbles me.
To our sponsors past and present, thank you. I hope that we’ve helped you in measurable and memorable ways and I hope that we can provide a boost during these difficult economic times. Without you, we couldn’t be…
To our staff at 24×7, thank you for challenging me, inspiring me, amusing me and believing in this little project. Your words and your pictures are the essence of our portion of cyberspace and my world has been enriched by your presence. Thank you!
To Bill Pisano, thank you for your persistence, your vision and your insatiable desire to succeed. To that end, we will.
To D3 Corp, you have been to 24×7 what George Martin was to The Beatles. Without you we wouldn’t be what we are today. To John, Tanja and Nikki…thank you. To Mike P, I admire your efficiency and creativity and patience with my limitations. To Laurie: thanks for the friendly voice and for listening when I’ve wanted to pull my hair out over technical glitches. To Jason, Reid, Tim and the rest of the D3 gang…thank you so very much! Rave on 😉
To Steve Gardner and all of our message board moderators…thank you so much for doing such a wonderful job on what probably seems like a thankless one at times.
To Aaron Wilson, for your insight, professionalism, intelligence, work ethic and talent. You are the standard for Ravens’ beat writers.
To the media members who have outwardly supported us during the past year…Scott Garceau, Mark Viviano, Ken Weinman, Rob Carlin, Megan Pringle and Jamie Costello…to the folks at Fox 1370 Sports Radio… thank you! I’ve learned from you all and I hope you’ve enjoyed our acquaintance.
To the Ravens organization particularly Eric DeCosta, Bart Scott, Mark Clayton, Jason Brown, Clarence Brooks and former Raven Justin Green…thanks for taking the time when you didn’t have to.
To Krys Renzi, for your energy and spirit and the staying power of your snapshot finger. Keep those tailgate pics coming girl!
To my family, my children and friends…thank you for your support, your encouragement, your understanding, your patience with my emails and text messages and your input. I love you all more than you know!
To Ruthie, my soul mate and best friend. Ours is a relationship described best as a dream come true for me. To the moon and back baby and thank you for saying, “YES!”
And thanks to all of you for indulging me if you’ve read this far and for sharing in my Thanksgiving, my favorite of Holidays.
In closing, I’ve always believed that Thanksgiving is the true starting point of the Holiday Season. I’m reminded of a line from the movie Scrooged delivered by the film’s star Bill Murray which in my opinion captures the essence of The Season.
"It’s Christmas Eve. It’s-it’s the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer, we-we-we smile a little easier, we-w-w-we-we-we cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the whole year we are the people that we always hoped we would be."
Here’s hoping that the Holiday Spirit captures you not only for a few hours, but throughout the Season and beyond.
Thank You!
