Morning blogsters:

I see 'Happy Thanksgiving' signs all over the place, so I know you've already been given your marching orders on that part of the equation.  You already know you'd best hunker down and be happy on this day, or else.

But I hope in the midst of all the distractions, the driving down the pavement, packing down all manner of foodstuffs, watching ballgames, tolerating family members who'd prefer to fight or get their hackles up about something, you'll pause a moment during the day, occasionally.

I hope you'll pull your awareness away from the immediacy of all that's going on and just spend a few minutes reflecting on why you have any reason to be happy.  Separate out the particles of all the things you have to be grateful for and run the fingers of your mind over them, savor them, be grateful.

We've sort of lost track of that aspect of Thanksgiving, even though it's the only day I'm aware of officially dedicated to that single purpose above all others by tradition.  We haven't found a Santy Claus hidden in any of the turkeys we could put into it to take away the meaning, haven't put any turkey bunnies out there for us to hunt.

So it ought to be okay, nobody to offend or feel guilty you didn't buy them a gift.  No song you've come to hate from hearing it so many times about pilgrims and ears of corn.  No merchants heckling you to dig out the credit card and buy plastic stuff and ruin it for them if you don't.

It's okay to spend a little time just being thankful.

Jack