Neighbor News
Nov. 28th is not just another Small Biz Day!
Nov. 28th is not just another Small Biz day for the dollar.... it ties into Thanksgiving in a more spiritual way.
Nov 28th is Small Business Day! It falls on the weekend of the busiest shopping day of the year and Thanksgiving weekend.
On the surface it looks like just another black Friday and Saturday shopping push.
I won’t dispute that having cool things in one’s life is enjoyable. :)
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However... as we go through the machinations of creating another Turkey dinner, shopping for ingredients, wondering about how to quietly find out what all our friends and relatives want for Christmas, and scheming on how we’re going to keep the business afloat this coming year and to pay for all the upcoming expenses after the holidays when January’s slower, I would like to remind us to be grateful.
On the surface, its easy to say...” yeah, sure I’m grateful for the guy who didn’t cut me off in traffic, I’m grateful to have a home to live in, I’m grateful for my car, I’m grateful for my friends and family, I’m grateful to have a fresh roll of toilet paper in the bathroom, etc....”
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And as the song says.. ...”but do you recall, the most famous reindeer of all”.......
There are small businesses owners in the village of Palatine that care very deeply about the spirit of community, and the joyful well-being of it’s residents. They have made a huge contribution to supporting culture and a brighter side to life in Palatine, and to helping keep the spirit of fun, joy, community and gratitude alive.
Over the past years with economic turmoil, digital advancements and frustrations, I have seen in friends and acquaintances, that there has cropped up a sort of new pattern or way of life that is almost like an addiction to fear, a bad habit that won’t shake itself loose, an uncertainty of when the next shoe will drop, a holding on tightly to the very last dime, a rigidness and technical thinking, a sort of forgetting of the spirit of life itself. Fearful of where the next check comes from, getting the bills paid on time, who people are, what their intentions are, frustrations with equipment and software crashes, are gas prices going up or down today, etc... we forget that there is another way to “be”.
IN the midst of all this, there are gems:
- Moments of joy where one can breathe and remember that life is meant to be enjoyed and savored. To be kind to each other. These moments of joy includes special community events and free concerts where we can practice that..
- Events and concerts to go and just “be” and experience the new and different to inspire and remind us of how we all are creative
- There are people and businesses who understand that the stressful things too shall pass and life goes on and we are all ultimately here with each other on this planet... That the goal is about how to make life more comfortable, friendly, enjoyable and peaceful for all involved. That we all need to play a LOT more!
Heaven forbid we forget to play, or how to enjoy the moment. That is something that cannot be purchased in a store, and we need to pass on to the next generations. How to do it? Call it teaching or setting an example, or call it “faking it till you make it”....either way, how we do it and what we do sets an example.. and you ARE being watched by the younger “up and coming crowd”.
The businesses listed at the bottom of this article have stepped up to spread joy, good cheer, healthy energy and positive fun Karma, in the interest of just ”being”, supporting “breathing or teaching space” for others, and feeling good.
They have supported free community concerts all year, of various styles of music. They have also supported special events in the community. With their generous sponsorships this past year, my small record label (Emerald City music Productions, Inc / BKS Entertainment) has been able to bring you:
- “Halloween Techno Zombie Geo Cache Hunt 2015”
- Free multi-cultural lullaby concerts for families in Barrington, Palatine and Arlington Heights
- Traditional German folk song concerts
- Original pop/rock concerts
- Civil War Era concerts
I ask you all to visit the local small businesses this year and support them with not only your holiday shopping needs, but even if it’s just to walk in and say a hearty friendly “Thank you!” to acknowledge their generosity.
For myself, I am sending a special thank you to all the businesses, fans, and residents of Palatine for a wonderful year! Happy Thanksgiving! May we all see and enjoy many more!
Barb Kronau-Sorensen / Owner/Artist / BKS Entertainment / Emerald City Music Productions, Inc.
Dr. Larry Pyzik: Palatine Chiropractor.com, Illinois
