A Trucker's Thanksgiving

Every year the American Legion in Hot Springs, SD, serves a scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner to veterans and all town's people. This year they served 200 people, giving up their private Thanksgiving at home to wait on all of the people who were not able to cook, who did not want to cook or who had nowhere else to celebrate the holiday.

The Legion veterans asked for donations only, providing for those who could not afford to pay. It made no difference to the Hot Springs veterans who could afford to contribute and those who could not but equally partook of the feast and left the Legion hall with a full stomach and a warmed heart.

During the festivities an on-the-road trucker had stopped at our local Motel 6. The downtown was deserted late in the snowy, cold afternoon, restaurants closed, so the management at the desk of the motel suggested the trucker could get a filling holiday meal, complete with all the trimmings, at the local American Legion.

One problem: the trucker could not drive his huge vehicle and park at the parking lot of the Legion.

"No problem", said the worker at Motel 6. "Here are my car keys. Take my car and enjoy the holiday."

Oh, yes, Hot Springs is truly the Veteran's Town. The local American Legion of veterans who have made Hot Springs their home, embrace everyone.....veterans, locals, truckers and any who are fortunate enough to find themselves in this town during a holiday.

We Still Give Thanks

How could we give thanks this year? The town has problems, the state is struggling, the country is in a real mess, and most of the world is on the edge. The news is filled with negative after negative stories and images. We are inundated with economic, social, political and environmental concerns. How can we possibly be grateful with all of the homelessness, illness, conflicts, political rancor, disintegration of our cherished values, and other numerous problems in our world of today?

It is a puzzlement to me. The older I get, the less I seem to know. Caution, rather than certainty of my youth is more common to me. Black and white was certainly an easier way to view life. It was comfortable. The grey in life is not an easy companion. Any yet, it is only in the grey that I have learned to listen, wait, and be more open to other points of view.

The holidays are a time for friends to get together, share stories, worries, laughter and delicious food. These "time out" days are needed to help us get through the tougher ones trying to sort out truths and choices. Connecting with family, even at long distance, is another healer. A phone call on Thanksgiving was a reminder that I feel so much better when I recall positive thoughts. A relative called from the Cities to wish us a happy holiday. We talked about many things, and then he shared his concern that so many people today are using the system to cheat their way through life. He protested that he has always done the right thing, not sneaked around, and yet he is hurting by not being able to have all the things he wants in life. Yet he has married well, supports a family he is proud of, works overtime whenever possible, takes pride in his work, and feels no guilt about his life style. He has all his needs met, but not all of his wants.

His phone call jogged me from negative thinking and quickly built a bridge to thoughts of gratitude for myself, as well as for my nephew. He and his wife may not be able to take that wonderful cruise, or buy everything they want, but I have met many people who travel, buy everything they desire and they still complain, think only of themselves, and seem unhappy most of the time. When push comes to shove, they have nothing to dream about and seem to be missing the real things to be grateful for....others to care for, love and being loved in return.

Thank you, Tom. We love your calls and visits. And thanks to all of you who read my blog. I cherish your emails and calls. You open my world.