Pre-Thanksgiving Reflection

I got up late today and then had some last minute Thanksgiving Day shopping for ingredients that go into my special recipe oyster dressing. Thanksgiving Day brings with it some mixed emotions around what happened to the First People's with European intrusion into a self-sustaining ecological economy of native tribes... the introduction of small-pox and alien diseases... the dismantling of  communal relationships for concepts of acreage and ownership of property... yep, forcing a foreign religion onto them and sending their children to be indoctrination schools and on and on.

Putting all that into perspective and acknowledging that part of the history, it is still a day to be grateful for my life and the love and happiness of those around me…. the community… the hope… the soldiers standing in harms way in desolate outposts… sailors at sea and away from dear ones…  the returning veterans who have given all… those who escaped harm… those whose lives are changed forever from wounds suffered in combat (both physical and psychological)… all on our behalf…the strangers passing through… homeless and crying out for understanding and a helping hand… and for all those who came before me to create the bounty I enjoy.

     Today and tomorrow, I know how fortunate I am to be alive today… to be breathing and above ground… even tomorrow…Yes!
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