Can you believe it is here again? Once the calendar turns to November there are some of us who begin to smell turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie at every corner.
What is hard to comprehend is how quickly Thanksgiving has arrived again. For our businesses, we are now in the thick of the holiday retail season, Hallmark and GAC are already decorating our televisions and streaming devices with scores of Holiday movies, and the Chamber is knee deep in Christmas parade preparations.
It is so easy for Thanksgiving to get lost in the busyness of the last two months of the year. I try to stop and think about what it is I’m thankful for. I hope you do too.
I’m thankful for my wife, Natalie. This Thanksgiving we are celebrating 40 years of marriage. I’ve been extremely blessed by this industr ious, creative wife, mother and grandmother who demonstrates her love for her family daily. I can’t imagine walking through life with anyone else.
I’m thankful for my kids and grandkids. Those of you who are grandparents know what I mean when I say the room lights up when they come in. They call me “Pockey” (long story) and I am so blessed to have Paxton, Jackson, Kroslee and Palmer as my grandchildren.
I’m thankful for my faith. I grew up in a pastoral family, and just last week I was back in my home church worshipping with people I’ve known for decades. That’s where I learned of the strength that would sustain me all these years. I’m grateful that I’ve connected with believers here in Florida who help strengthen and challenge that faith.
I’m thankful for you, my Chamber family. I am so blessed with kind Board Members, Ambassadors and members who trust us to help promote a strong business community here in St. Cloud. This year, I have an added blessing of Heather, Trisha and Indhiana who have made it clear that they love serving you, our members. As always, I have a few wishes for you as you gather together for Thanksgiving: As your family gathers in the living room, may your TV or internet streaming device be kind to you as the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys line up for their traditional games. No outages!
May you find yourself sneaking a pre-meal cookie with the youngest member of your family. The joy is in the sharing of both the cookie and the sneaking.
I hope your turkey, ham or whatever your dinner consists of is delicious and memorable. I also hope that you remember those whose Thanksgiving Day may be a bit more challenging than yours or mine.
I hope there’s ice cream. For it is written, “Ice cream is the nectar of life. For what is life without icecream. Thus, it is written.” (First Webb, Chapter 1, Verse 1)
As you pull your chairs up to your respective tables, may you be thankful for the loving faces that share another Thanksgiving with you. But, may you also take a fleeting second to remember those loved ones whose chairs are empty. May they always have a special place in your heart.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Dirk Webb is the President/CEO of the St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce
