A Long Strange Tryptophan

If you're looking for pithy, clever, cute or cuddly, just like every day, you are SOL, Pilgrim. Today's title is about the height of my reach for bright remarks and as we both realize my vertical leap can use some help.

Truth to tell, I have as close to nothing to do today as is humanly possible. I'm looking forward to our son and daughter both joining us for turkey and what seems to be all the fixings. Sigrid has been at the food preparation for a number of days and I have been told in no uncertain terms I can help best by staying out of the kitchen and resisting the temptation to offer to set the table, get the dinnerware, locate the utensils. I am one who helps best by not helping-I suspected this for many years before marriage. I was overjoyed to be proven correct (last time in this life).

I hope, too, you can have your family with you wherever you are. We both know lots of people who can't because they're working-folks at Forward Operating Bases in places neither of us have ever heard of, ships at sea and in foreign ports, in a thousand different directions all the way back to and through the cops on the corner, emergency response teams and all those who drew short straw on 'skeleton crew' duty or "Let's Beat Black Friday" staffing.

Unlike the original Thanksgiving celebrants, for us it's not the food nor the calendar that makes this a holiday. It's the people with whom we share it. Some of us will spend part of today counting our blessings, and pining over what we don't have. Some of that inventory and regret is what makes us who we are, as a species, I know, but perhaps in the 86,400 seconds that are today, we can spend one of them just being grateful for all that we have. Or perhaps two. Happy Thanksgiving.
-bill kenny