Thanksgiving: Thanks to some less obvious folks...

Thanksgiving. Sadly the Thanksgiving holiday is now known more for being the busiest travel weekend of the year, and for Black Friday (soon to be Thursday night sadly) sales to start the Christmas holiday buying season.

There is one element of the Thanksgiving of old that (thankfully) still lives on: a time for reflection of all the people (and things) we are thankful for in the past year. Indeed, in today's society, far too little is appreciated and far too few are thankful for what they have.

So tonight, rather than a status blurb on Facebook, I wanted to write down a few of the "less obvious" people I am thankful for. Unlike an Oscar winner, I am not going to even attempt to list every family member and friend I can possibly name. I am quite grateful for all of them. I hope and pray they all know this, I do try and make sure they all understand how appreciated they are. I am also quite thankful for a loving God, the brave men and women who serve our country, firemen, cops, doctors, etc. No offense to any of them, but they are the obvious ones.

I want to take a moment to list the less obvious/uncommon people and things I am thankful for.

Thanks to Mr. Hanna, who helped make science interesting for Sam and has given him an inspiration for his future. Whether or not he actually follows that path, you managed to do what only the good teachers can; you motivated him to learn more and aspire. That is saying something.

Thanks to Joni, the lady who cuts my hair (and Sam's too). She works on her feet, 5 days a week, and always does a great job. I have never once heard her complain. She will talk if you like, or let you chill quietly if that is your mood. She has always remembered my family, asked about them and remembered what we talked about the last visit.

Thanks to the nice guy who comes by my office every morning and empties my trash can at work, and (once a week) vacuums the floor. Sadly, I don't know his name (no name tag and he speaks little English) But I know he shows up for work every day, and he works hard. Before anyone asks, he is also in the country legally (everyone who works at the office is backgrounded and vetted rather thoroughly).

Thanks to the nurses who drew blood either for my quarterly thyroid check, or when I donate at the Bloodmobile. I hate needles (who doesn't I guess), I blabber leading up to the stick, hoping to distract myself (and not them), and they have always made the process relatively painless. I doubt they get many thanks.

Thanks to all the waiters and waitresses who endured me this year. I know I am not the easiest customer. I love getting so many different dishes, all done just a bit different than the norm (a crispy pizza, no cucumbers or tomatoes in the salad, no cheese on the burgers, the turkey on my sandwich grilled and not cold, etc). I know you spend most of your day on your feet, hustling and trying to balance multiple tables. So, I always try to leave good tips, and berate friends who don't. (Katie, the family still misses you at R.E. We are glad you graduated and moved on into your chosen field, but we do so miss your smile and happy personality still).

Thanks to the military families who are missing loved ones who are serving overseas. We are thankful for the sacrifice of those who serve our country and defend our freedoms overseas (VERY much so), but we are also thankful there are some families sacrificing here so those brave souls can do their work.

I guess in conclusion, I am quite simply thankful for my life and those in it. I have been blessed far beyond what I deserve. A wonderful, loving family, great friends, opportunities to travel to new places and see amazing sights. People who are genuine, good health, good times, and great stories.

So, I hope everyone has a great and wonderful Thanksgiving. Maybe someone else will be inspired to say thanks to someone "off the beaten path" as well. Happy Thanksgiving!