What I'm thankful for

On this Thanksgiving Day, I thought it might be appropriate to pause a moment and think on the things for which I am thankful. Have a seat and I'll share them with ya.

For Mom and Dad, of course. My sister and brother. My grandparents. All my family.

My friends, too. I've got so many wonderful pals. They all brighten up my day and picked me up when I was down. Love them all very much. Life wouldn't be near the fun ride it's turned out to be without them.

I'm thankful for my job, and for the great time we all have. Call me crazy, but there's nowhere I'd rather be than right here in Halls.

I'm thankful for the way the sky looks, at night, just before it sets. For the promise of the morning. For the pale light of a full moon.

I'm thankful for music, of course. George and Barry, Phil and Boz, The King and the Godfather, the Big "O" and the Fifth Demension, sweet soul music and Kentucky bluegrass and so much more.

For Hawkeye Pierce and Thomas Magnum, more real to me than a lot of people I know.

For Homer Simpson --- cause, well, he's Homer. Doh!

For the prose of Larry McMurtry, Hemingway's one true sentence and Scott Fitzgerald's blinking green lights.

For the light in a child's eyes and the innocence you find there.

For old flames and new ones and those that should have been. And for those who weren't.

For Skip and Pete and Don and Joe, who've kept me company each baseball season for 28 years. Too bad we'll not be together much longer, guys.

For Dale Murphy, the childhood hero, and Greg Maddux, who knew how to throw a slider, low and away.

For the 2006 Detroit Tigers, who made me feel like a kid again.

For Halls High School, the place where a skinny kid came into his own.

For Senor and Coach Duff --- two fine educators who helped me become whatever I am today.

For Russell Kocur --- we'll never forget ya, pal.

For reunion girl, of course --- and for all those who took the time to guess.

For our Thursday night mini-reunions, the best part of my 2006.

For fishin' in the dark, long trips to the lake, for sunny days I thought would never end.

For all those reading this blog, who took time out of the day to spend a few minutes with me.

For all this, and heaven, too,

I say thanks.