There is a reason to be thankful.

As we head into the Holiday Season we find ourselves really searching for things to be thankful for. With the news of the economy and the sullen attitude that permeates our lives right now, we almost need a road map and a flashlight just to find a smile nearby. We’ve all had to make cutbacks this year, many companies have had mass layoffs and some have closed their doors. No one really anticipated the depth of this recession, so there was little planning and preparation for it. We do have our blessings though, and I would like to share them with you.

We have just been through what I have always considered the miracle that is the United States, and that is a bloodless change of power. There are few places in the world where this can happen. Whether you agree with the outcome or not, what actually took place could only happen in a few places here on earth. It appears the war in Iraq is winding down and hopefully we can clean up Afghanistan quickly. We pray for the safe return of our sons and daughters who have showed such bravery and selflessness in their service to this country. We can honestly be thankful for the spirit of giving that is shown daily in our local communities and religious centers across the land. When we watch the international news at night, we are so thankful that we live in a country where there is still a spoonful of kindness and cupful of charity in our daily lives.

No one knows what this next year will bring with it to surprise or excite us, but just being Americans, and free to live our lives as we see fit, is blessing enough to carry us through whatever the world, or Mother Nature may throw at us. As you sit down to dinner and say your Thanksgiving Prayer this year, remember to include a special one for our troops stationed around the world. Say another for our leaders, that they may once again learn to work together to bring us out of this crisis of our wallet and lift our spirits to face the difficult task ahead. Just think, the generation of our fathers faced a worldwide depression, two world wars and Korea and still built the greatest country and strongest economy in the world. Their troubles only seemed to bind them together and make them even stronger. Looking at our present situation through their eyes, makes this little speed bump in our lives a little more manageable.

I am of the school that thinks the elected administration is more than likely going to take us in the wrong direction for a speedy recovery, as did Bush. Into more government controls, rather than allowing the market to bring us out of this recession. We can bail out every large company in the country and unless the people start shopping, the economy will tank. It is imperative that we do our utmost to build confidence in the minds of the people. To do that, we need to bolster the main street business’s that actually run the economy. Who would want to buy anything from a company that may go out of business. I still believe that funding the SBA for emergency loans to small to medium business’s is the answer we are looking for.

And that’s my opinion,
Don