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What
We Have To Be Thankful For
by Peary Perry | |
Someone
said to me the other day that they had more month left than they did money. I
can feel their pain.
It seems to me that we just finished up with the
Fourth of July and here we are headed into Thanksgiving and Christmas.
What’s happened to this year? Where did it all go and how come it seems as if
time is actually speeding up each and every year? All I know is that each and
every month just zips by. I no sooner get a month worth of bills paid, then there
is another month and I have to start all over again. They never seem to stop,
do they?
I was writing a birthday card to my daughter in law yesterday
and mentioned to her that having birthdays wasn’t all that bad. It beats not having
one any day of the week. I hope to keep on having them as long as I can. I’m sure
you feel the same.
Thanksgiving
is just around the corner and about this time of the year I always like to sit
back and reflect for a few minutes about what we have to be thankful for. I just
finished a great book about Europe during the Second
World War. We can be thankful that our country has never had to go through
that kind of destruction. I don’t think it is possible for someone like me to
know what it was like to have lived in those countries or have fought battles
in those countries. Last week was Veterans Day and we certainly should be thankful
for all of those who have fought or served to keep this country safe. If we were
to put ten of us into a room and ask our opinions of the various wars this country
has been in, you could probably get ten different opinions as well as ten different
reasons why we should have been or should not have been in any war or world conflict.
The fact that we can express those opinions is something we should be thankful
for and never forget.
For the most part my health is good and for this
I’m very thankful. My knee replacement was successful and I’m about up to speed
once again, but I don’t think I’ll ever run another marathon. Not even my first
one. I probably won’t be able to play the piano either…not that I ever could in
the first place, but the knee surgery can used for sympathy from time to time.
Having a knee replaced can get you a better seat on an airplane. At least that’s
something useful after all the pain and therapy. Might as well make the best of
it. I figure I can only do this for another couple of months….can’t stretch it
out for a couple of years…they offer me a wheelchair but I’m not at that level
yet.
Another thing we should all be thankful for is our family and our
friends. Not a day goes by I don’t think of all of the people who have made a
difference in my life and who I sincerely love. An old (known for a long time)
friend of mine just sent me some photographs of him and me together on a trip
we made after we graduated from high school. I probably weighed all of 115 pounds
dripping wet…..sure would like to be back around this again. Funny how the time
goes by so fast and the pounds mount up as well. I wish they came off as easy
as they went on, but then that’s life, isn’t it?
To me, Thanksgiving is
just about the best holiday of the year. Just figure out where everyone can meet
and share some good times together. No gifts, no tree to hassle with and nothing
to decorate. Just finish up the meal, throw away the turkey carcass and be with
those you love and cherish.
I trust you all have someone you love and cherish.
If you don’t you need to find someone….there are lots of people out here who need
a family and a new friend. Go out and meet someone, invite them to your house
or manage to get invited. Then next year you can have something else to be thankful
for. We’re never too old or too poor to be thankful for something, no matter how
bad off we think we are. Things could always be worse. Thanks for our men and
women serving our country while we celebrate this holiday.
© Peary
Perry
Comments
go to pperry@austin.rr.com
Letters
From North America - November 18, 2009 column
Syndicated weekly
in 80 newspapers
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