Letters from Linden
by JACK LINDEN
It’s that time of year when people begin to think of the Holiday Season. In too many instances the time between now and the middle of January is a time of stress and “have to’s”. We begin the season by supposedly stopping to give thanks, but I wonder how many of us really do that? This is not a call to stop thanking whatever Supreme Being you wish to thank. That happens in prayers on a continual basis throughout the year. But I think we also need to thank those who daily make our lives better.
We need to pause and really evaluate how our lives have been affected by our contacts, our friends, our spouses and our children. I know I am guilty of taking all of those people for granted; I am first to admit that I don’t thank them enough. It’s time we all did this – and did it personally.
Have you said thank you to that friend that has changed your life – the person who lights up your life with a smile or a kind word? If you really look at it, hasn’t that person made a big impression on you and how you live your daily life? That’s the person you turn to when things seem down. That’s the person who asks the right question or gives you the right look that perks up your life. It is not a big thing on the surface, but it is huge in your outlook and your well-being. How many times have you found yourself with a smile on your face just having thought of the person? Maybe it is that person who has caused you to completely change for the better. Yes, he or she needs to hear that. Yes, let’s give thanks.
Our government officials take heat from about everyone. I suspect there is not a person in my community or yours that has not pounded the table or raised their voices to criticize local officials. Generally, that criticism, at the very least, raises questions about the intelligence of those people who govern. Have you really thought about the time they give, trying to make things better? Have you ever thanked them for the positive that they have done, not just for the community, but for you personally? It is time we stop and think about those things. Perhaps we should also ask ourselves what have we done to make their job easier, the government run more efficiently, and our communities better places.
Where are you with your local business community? That little shop down the street is trying to compete with the big stores in the malls and huge warehouses. Have you thought about how much that little storeowner is adding to your life? That store is there when you want a personal contact or a last minute gift. It is the local guy who is trying to make a living by being a good mechanic who knows you. They are the ones who give you the smile when you enter because they depend on you more than you know. That smile says you are welcome and that they appreciate you. They are making your life and your community better. They need a “thank you” for that.
This is only scratching the surface of reasons we need to give thanks. Giving thanks is more than just to your God or Supreme Being, it is giving thanks to those who are around you and help you want to give thanks.
