Thanksgiving—What Does It Mean To You?

I love Thanksgiving. I love everything about this holiday. There are no gifts to purchase, there is no annoying "Thanksgiving music" to listen to, I get to spend quality time with my family, and I get to watch football and hockey all day while stuffing my face with a steady supply of turkey, dressing, and pumpkin pie. But as time goes on, I find that there is more to Thanksgiving, so very much more.

Like all children, when I was a kid, the idea of truly being thankful for something was an abstract concept.  I didn't have enough life experience to realize how truly fortunate I was to grow up in a suburb of Orange County, nor how hard my parents had worked to provide me with such a wonderful childhood. It seems that I, like many kids, often took for granted the very things that were most deserving of my gratitude.

But now, Thanksgiving is something different. I have more life experience than I care to admit, and I have been fortunate enough to have married into a large, extended family that truly knows how to celebrate this holiday appropriately.

I celebrated Thanksgiving in an old-fashioned way. I invited everyone in my neighborhood to my house, we had an enormous feast, and then I killed them and took their land.
—Jon Stewart

Our Thanksgiving celebrations are big. Really big. We never have fewer than 20 people at the house, covering at least four generations. My wife's uncle is Rev. Donn Moomaw, President Reagan's former pastor. Along with football and hockey on the big screen, our family tradition involves Donn leading us in a short prayer of thanks, and then, during our Thanksgiving feast, each of us—if we wish—express what it is we are thankful for. Afterwards, we settle in for the time-honored talent show; where the kids play instruments, sing songs, recite poetry, or just tell a few corny jokes. 

Our Thanksgiving celebrations have evolved into wonderful, if not exhausting, gatherings of family and friends.  However, as I become more "chronologically advanced," as I read of the losses of our young men and women overseas, as I witness the growth of my children and find myself ever more concerned for their future, Thanksgiving becomes more meaningful for me, a holiday with a palpable effect.  I suppose with age and experience, comes appreciation.  An appreciation of all we have, and a recognition that the true purpose of Thanksgiving is something that should be celebrated every day of the year.

So, with all due respect to football, hockey, turkey and pumpkin pie, please allow me to say that I am so very, very thankful:

• For Julie, my wonderful, intelligent, gorgeous angel of a wife.
• For Morgan, my beautiful daughter, college student, and massage therapist to the masses.
• For Christian, my talented film student son, future Steven Spielberg, and guarantor of my financial future.
• For Brady, my brilliant, guitar pickin', saxophone playing son.
• For my Mom, my brother, and all the associated family clans; the Hunters, the Bjorklunds and the Moomaws.
• For Tutto Fresco, for their fantastic food and community service, including raising funds to assist Mindy Jankanish.
• For my job, as I am fully aware of how many people unfortunately don't have one.
• For Cinnamon Productions; for the great food, the great friendship of the Farah family, and for their community service, including hosting a fundraiser for Cade Spinello. Oh, and the carrot cake is to die for.
• For the great margaritas at Carmelitas Restaurant.
• For South County Bank; for their unselfish efforts in hosting a Food Drive to help the hungry in our community.
• For Trabuco Presbyterian Church.
• For my big screen television and Cox DVR.
• For the Police and emergency personnel who help keep our city among the safest in the country.
• For the countless volunteers who work with our youth in scouting, sports organizations, school plays, band, etc., with no pay, few thanks, and for no other reason than to serve this community.
• For Judy, John and the other Patch commenters who constantly like to question my "agenda" behind writing a blog. They help keep life interesting.
• For all those kids I coached for all those years.  All that time I thought I was teaching them, when all along they were teaching me. 
• For Patch, an online source of news that has provided all of us a great respite from the Orange County Register and the Los Angeles Times.
• For football. 'Nuff said.
• For my ipod.
• For Ballpark Pizza; for all the team parties and the fundraiser for Ruby Jane Taylor.
• For Preston King, Jake Warden and Robbie Picazo (yeah, I know it's been a few years since Tesoro dominated on the frozen tundra, but I'm still feelin' it).
• For the wisdom and fiscal restraint demonstrated by our mayor and city council.
• For my neighbor's Beagle, Ginger, who no longer howls as much as she used to.
• For the Angels. Not the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, just the Angels.
• For my sweet, full figured pug, Bailey Butkus.
• For Pugs 'N Pals, who allowed me to rescue our newest family member, Bella Butkus. Honestly, it's probably easier to smuggle a child out of Cuba than it is to adopt a pug, but I'm very thankful nonetheless.
• For those brave souls, including some I have coached, who serve and protect our country. 
• For all my friends and neighbors, old and new.
• For my fellow members of the Planning Commission: Jack Leonard, Peter Whittingham, Jim Eakin and Kent Hayden.  Such a pleasure to serve with these great guys.
• For my guitars and our piano.  The voice is still a work in progress.
• For our city staff, who don't get the appreciation and thanks that they so richly deserve.
• For my health, my home and the love of my family.

"When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around."
—Willie Nelson

So, tell me, please. In these complicated and uncertain times, what are you thankful for?