Unfortunately pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes can drown out the sweet, simple spirit of Thanksgiving. Amidst the parade, the football games, the day after 4 a.m. shopping, and the much loved turkey, it’s very easy to forget why we celebrate Thanksgiving. The original Thanksgiving was a religious holiday celebrated in 1621 to thank God for a bountiful harvest after a long, difficult winter and a period of drought that had ravaged the land before that. These 53 people were so unabashedly thankful, they threw a huge party and celebrated with the Wampanoag Indians who had befriended them and taught them to survive in the brutal conditions.

One thing I’m generally not thankful for are forwarded emails. I receive enough legitimate email that forwarded imposters usually irritate me. However, I read one a couple weeks ago that touched my heart. I’ll try to paraphrase;

Can you name 3 Nobel Prize Laureates? Can you name just 2 winners of the Miss America pageant? What about the Oscars? Can you name a winner from the last decade?

Now, can you remember a teacher who impacted you?  A friend who helped form who you are today? A mentor that believed in you when you found yourself wanting to give up? 

Isn’t it funny how much emphasis we place on awards, on honors, on recognitions when people in our daily life often go unrewarded? The retired neighbor who always brings your trash can up from the street. The spouse that sees you at your worst, but loves you all the same.  The supervisor at work who doesn’t berate you when you leave early to take care of a sick child.  Aren’t there simple things we overlook?

In the coming holiday season of shopping, decorating, in laws and general busyness, I’d like to encourage the residents of Rancho Cordova to remember what  we’re truly thankful for. What a fantastic community we would be if we encouraged each other and remembered to be thankful for what we have. What a beautiful legacy that would leave for future generations.