Thanksgiving
Posted By Mike Orren in Square Pegs on November 26, 2008
Clearly, there's beaucoups things to be worried about these days. The Dow Jones news screen in our elevator tells me so every day.
I was at First United Methodist in Dallas this past Sunday, and Dr. John Fiedler had what I thought was the perfect take on Thanksgiving in tough times: He told the story of a rehab worker who was nervous as she was going to meet a new patient, a young girl with an amputated leg. As she approached, the girl excitedly waved her leg about pointing at her still-intact knee, buoyed by the range of motion that might have been lost had the cut been higher. "Look at how much I have left!" she exclaimed.
So the economy may be going have gone to hell; a wave of store closings in the New Year may be imminent; a tidal wave of unemployment may be on the horizon; slightly down may be the new up; and the media business may be at the worst end of that. But there are still plenty of blessings to count.
So I keep up my now three-year-old tradition of the list of things I'm thankful for:
- I'm thankful that Our Little Business has survived long enough to have three-year-old traditions. We're still doing things we were only dreaming about four years ago and are making a living that is significantly more enjoyable than ditch-digging.
- I'm thankful that despite the lousy economy, we haven't had to lay anyone off (although we have left vacant positions vacant).
- I'm thankful that the silver lining in the economy for us is that it is driving advertisers towards more inexpensive, more targeted options (ie: us). We're on the best three-month growth run we've seen yet.
- I'm thankful that my job involves playing around with futuristic tech toys. (I would have been a lousy caveman.)
- I'm thankful that our team has hung together through all the myriad ups and downs of our young business.
- I'm thankful for my wife, April, who continues to amaze in her wisdom, beauty and patience with the likes of me.
- I'm thankful that with no familial obligations nearby, the holidays are a true "holiday" for us.
What are you giving thanks for this year?
Bill Holston, says:
Thanks for listing this. I sat with an Eritrean asylum client earlier this year. She had been locked in a shipping container for reading the Bible. One of the men in the room had a daughter in prison, for her faith, had been there for 2 years. One of the group said, 'you Americans have everything and you complain all the time.'
I'm very blessed. Thanks for this forum, and specifically for promoting worthy music and arts in the area.
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Lisa Lawrence Merritt, says:
I was relieved of my work duties as of last Tuesday.
It has now freed me up to cook the big Thanks Day meal and enjoy the company of my daughter an her boyfirend.
Perhaps Santa will bring me a paycheck for Christmas.... or a winning Lotto ticket.
;)
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Travis Bush, says:
Just finished the garlic twice baked mashed potatoes, two Ghirardelli chocolate & Pecan pies, venison and Canadian wild rice stuffing, and the roasted sweet potatoes.
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Chris Kidd, says:
Im giving thanks I still have a decent gig, eventhough other folks I know are either out of work or may soon be. Im also giving thanks that I have a wonderful wife, food in my gut and a warm bed to sleep in every night.
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Tracy Yost, says:
I am thankful that my mom is cooking today :-) And that I'll get to see my daughter and granddaughter. And that even tho my son can't be here today, he is healthy and happy and successful and makes me proud! And that my husband is an incredibly strong individual who can stand up to anything! And that I do still have that day gig.
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alexander troup, says:
Well having the flue and a case of double siadica and having made it to the Lancaster and Red Oak Cousin's big bird... this was a very thankfull week and I hope a lot of other folks found some great meaning in this time peroid also,..until then..A/T, Thank /full bird.
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