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This weekend has two distinct meanings. 1. It is a time for all of us to reflect and to be thankful for all that we have. 2. It is the official start of the great holiday shopping season.
Families and friends congregate to eat, drink, and be merry. Everyone begins to forget about their diets, and it is the time of year to max out credit cards.
Despite what we might want to believe, we all have a great deal to be thankful for this holiday weekend.
In fact, everyday we should be appreciative for all that we have. They say if we take our problems and compare them with others, we would gladly take ours back. Even though I continually write about the need for positive change in Sullivan County, I know that it could always be worse. I might be critical at times with our elected officials, but I am aware that they also want a better Sullivan County. Their approach may be different, but our goals are the same. I am thankful for the positive changes being made here, and I am thankful to those who are working hard to make those changes happen. Still - the problems facing Sullivan County are very real. The fact remains that there is a severe budget crunch here. And, not only is it difficult to find quality employment, but so many people are losing their jobs for one reason or another. One must still travel to Middletown to purchase clothing and other quality consumer goods. The stability of our hospital providing quality health care is a concern to all of us. It is even hard for The Salvation Army to exist in Sullivan County. The organization which is known throughout the nation for aiding those in need during the holiday season, moved out of Sullivan County last year in an effort to cut costs. They are still servicing us, as are many other civic and religious organizations. Unfortunately, the holidays are not a joyous of time of year for many people. There are those who have no one to celebrate with, and they tend to become sad and lonely. Depression is known to occur more frequently, as the days get shorter and it becomes colder. Thanks to our wonderful volunteers these people are cared for, not only during the holiday season, but also throughout the year. Often over looked are those dedicated volunteers in Sullivan County who donate their services to help others less fortunate. These people have a spirit in them that words cannot express. From Volunteer firefighters, ambulance workers, to members of civic and religious organizations, and so on, we must all be grateful for them.
I am sure that during this holiday weekend, we will all take a moment to be thankful in one way or another for what we all have. It would be great if we did that everyday. Imagine being thankful for what we have on a daily basis.
It might not be as difficult as we all think - just a thought for all of us to consider. Happy Thanksgiving weekend everyone.
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