November 22, 2018
Before the blandly commercial, yet oddly reassuring sound of “Today” show hosts narrating the steady stream of balloons, Broadway chorus lines and heartland marching bands of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade blares from the tv; before the more personal cacophony of rushing to get the turkey stuffed and in the oven in time for it to emerge at 3:00, hopefully perfectly crisp on the outside and juicy within, there is time to reflect on what we’re thankful for.
Personally, I am thankful that my children, Marcus and Noelle, are growing into young adults who balance their love of friends and family with a healthy sense of adventure and curiosity. I’m thankful for a husband who is a partner, a lover and a friend and mother who calls to alert me to the latest State Department warnings before I travel or that I’m overdue for a colonoscopy(!). I am thankful for good friends from Mexico to Michigan, from Boston to L.A. who always have my back. I’m thankful for my suburban village that welcomes the diversity of humanity and grapples honestly with the messiness that sometimes entails.
Most of all, though, I am thankful for each of us who reacted to the horror unleashed by Trump’s election, not with paralysis born of despair, but by marching, organizing, mobilizing and voting, loudly standing up for democracy and pledging to overcome hatred and fear with love. I believe that we will overcome these awful ”plague years” to remake this country as a more perfect union, with a seat at the table for all of us. Happy Thanksgiving!
Beautiful! And speaking of “beautiful” here’s hoping “America the Beautiful” will re-emerge after this band of thieves is caught and forced to exit the stage.