Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving

The turkey was incredible.   The stuffing, out of this world.   There was sweet potatoes, cranberries, waldorf salad, deviled eggs, and a stack of hot rolls on the table.  As I sat there, looking around, seeing the people that mean so much to me -- my wife, my father-in-law, and my mother-in-law, the food took a second seating to what I was thankful for this year.   I absolutely adore my in-laws.  They have become my second set of "parents".  We laugh together, share great times together, but we are also there in the hard times; when illness in our family affects one, it affects us all.  So I am thankful that we got to spend another Thanksgiving with them this year.  Family is very important.  Sometimes I feel that we forget, during our busy, everyday lives, the importance of family; does it take a holiday to reach out to family you haven't spoken to in months; why does the memories of family members who are no longer with us seem to hit us hardest during the holidays?  I lost both of my parents, and I miss them every day.  During the holiday season, I miss them even more.   I sit lost in memories of Thanksgivings past; of sitting around the table with mom & dad, brother, sister, relatives, etc. and the dog under the table to grab the scraps (or the veggies we didn't like).  I will always cherish the memories of every Thanksgiving I have shared with families and friends.   I will also cherish the new memories that my wife and I make every year with every Thanksgiving we share.    So I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving, and pass the pumpkin pie; and that's my Thought For Today.