Part of the Fire that's Still Burning

I've never understood why today, the day AFTER Thanksgiving, isn't a holiday as well. There were a lot of articles on line yesterday about how Thanksgiving is the most American of holidays--and others about how most of us checked our work email even if we were off (I didn't actually see any of those articles but someone emailed them to me at work).

My wife, daughter and I spent the day at Patrick and Jamie's home, which was a first for all of us and most especially so for the turkey which Patrick prepared and which we all ate with gusto (it was my job to bring the forks and I forgot, so we used gusto and tweezers) and it was all quite nice.

I regard being a father of our two children as the second most important job I've had in my life-first, being my wife's husband (she's said I almost screwed up the interview on that) even though our children are now adults themselves. I realize I will fret and fuss about both of them until the day I die, and I think they've made their peace with that as well. (Gotta admit, their not being five anymore and no longer thinking their Dad is the smartest guy in the world really sucks, a lot.)

If you've already gotten up today to either shop or work one of the Black Friday sales events across the country, enjoy, though I'm not sure that's the proper word. We're now UNDER thirty days to Christmas (I like the way it's become a sprint instead of a marathon) and if you have a good finishing kick (Adam, are you paying attention?) now would be a good time to bear down and use it since whoever dies with the most toys, wins.

I hope you don't get too bruised and battered out there in the madding crowd and lose sight of why you'd waded out into the deep end in the first place. In our neck of the woods this afternoon, starting at 4:30 (in the gathering gloom) we'll wander towards the center of Norwich (CT) for the lighting of City Hall.

There will be entertainment, hay rides (but NO pony rides?) and hopefully someplace to buy the 2010 Norwich Christmas ornament as well as a collection point to drop off canned goods for the food pantries who have seen demand sky rocket this year (poverty isn't political and crosses party lines; such a pity we don't).

The Lighting of City Hall isn't the dropping of the ball in Manhattan's Times Square on New Year's Eve but it's a great reminder of life beyond the bright lights and big cities, to a place and at a pace many of us call home. However and wherever you mark the beginning of your holiday season, I hope it's the start of another wondrous chapter to the story in your eyes.

-bill kenny