....ummmmm..... Turkey Day

[Warph]

I get to sit at the big table this year.

I speak of Thanksgiving, the finest day of the year -- my favorite holiday since I was a kid in the 1940's.

My parents had a tiny dining room back then -- barely big enough to contain our modest oak table and six seats.  Nonetheless, my mother loved having lots of people over.

Thus, we had to set up a portable table that extended into the living room, then, at a perpendicular angle, another table that ran through the living room toward the hallway.  To that we added a card table or two, where the little ones sat (it took me two decades to move all the way up to the big table).

Despite the congestion -- despite the chaotic assemblage of adults and kids of every age -- the feast moved along like a well-managed Red Cross operation.

While pop sliced the turkey, mother whipped up the potatoes, my sisters organized the vegetables, rolls and fruit cocktail and my job was to pour the wine and look out for my little brother.

In time, everyone would be seated.  We'd pause silently while my pop said grace.  And then we'd dig in, talking, laughing and devouring for 90 minutes or more.

I've experienced many Thanksgivings and -- despite the standard ups and downs every family experiences -- every one has been just like that. This Thanksgiving will be just the same.

Sure, the arrangements have changed since the early days.  It's true, too, that we'll miss our parents and those who had been regulars for many years.  But we've had several new additions -- bunches of nieces and nephews and grandnieces/nephews -- and not to mention grandchildren to help fill the void.

And so the tradition goes on.  It goes on because the "Family" holds everyone together.  And every year, regardless of the good or bad times each of us may be experiencing, we are thankful.

We are thankful because we are together -- because we know, deep in our bones, that everything we really need in life can be found around our Thanksgiving table.

We don't need massive riches to fill ourselves with happiness.  To the contrary, material wealth can cause unhappiness -- particularly when markets crash and our fortunes disappear.

We don't need to overextend ourselves so we can drive expensive cars, live in McMansions and travel to exotic places, as too many folks have done.

We don't need a government that promises to take care of our every need.  We know that is a fool's promise, anyhow.  America is better off when able-bodied individuals look to themselves to take care of themselves.

What we need is to remember the basics: thrift, hard work, sacrifice.  If you want to make more to provide more for your family, then make more of yourself.  It took my Uncle Jake 13 years of night school to attain his college degree, but he did it.

We need to remember that we have little right to demand anything more from our country than the basics: freedom, security and the opportunity to pursue our happiness.

We ought not expect the government to bail us out for bad decisions we may have made -- whether we are average Joes or the chairman of General Motors.

Perhaps it takes a nasty recession to bring us back to our senses.  Perhaps that is the only way for most of us to remember what wealth really is -- to remember how it is acquired and maintained and protected for future generations.

As far as the economy goes, my family is as apprehensive about the coming months as anyone.  But it's Thanksgiving and we will sit around the table as thankful as ever.  We'll focus not on our temporary woes, but on our many blessings -- even the smallest ones.

Did I mention I get to sit at the big table this year?

[Catwoman]

God bless you, Warph...I hope your day at the 'big table' was wonderful...I look forward to reading more of your posts!!!

[greatguns]

So well put.  Happy Thanksgiving to you.  Hope you enjoyed being at the 'big table'.

[Teresa]

I hope you cleaned your plate so you could have dessert..
But I'm sure you did..  ........



Kjell and I went  to the farm today.. Everyone is out of town so we loaded up and he did some target shooting and I went fishing. I caught  3 HUGE ( and I mean HUGE) crappy..and 19  large/medium crappy's and one bass and one bluegill.
cleaned them all too and now they are waiting for Saturday evening to fry with some hush puppies and fried taters.
It was beautiful here today and perfect for being outdoors.

Talked to all the guys and they are having a ball in Branson. Catching fish and the weather is great there too.

[Teresa]

Oh yeah................... Hope Christmas is this nice outside ...