Thoughts for Thanksgiving
For those of us in the U.S. today is Thanksgiving. Originally a day to recognize the first significant harvest of the "Pilgrims" landing in New England in many ways it has become lost as a commercial holiday- the day before "black Friday", the largest single retail day in U.S. marketing.
I would like to think of it more traditionally, as a day of reflection, of what we all have to be thankful for in our lives.
In our family every other year my wife's family gathers at our home. Although my parents have both passed away I get some vicarious pleasure from seeing the joy that comes from my Father in law as he gets to see his children and grandchildren assembled in one place.
My children will be joining us as well. At 18 and 22 they aren't children any more. Soon they will have their own families and their own traditions.
2008 has been an interesting year so far. I have returned to consulting after almost a seven year hiatus. I took the time to write the book I have always threatened to write. With the support of family and friends and the kind editing and gracious endorsement of my work I am preparing to formally publish it soon.
We saw a historic event in 2008. A woman and an African American competed for the nomination of a major party. The African American prevailed not only in winning the nomination of his party, but being elected as the President of the United States.
I like to think that pioneers like Abraham Lincoln, the Kennedy brothers, Dr. Martin Luther King and others who fought so hard for so long can look now and see that meaningful change is possible and that their sacrifices were not in vain.
We face on the deepest recessions that this country and perhaps the world has seen in generations, but there also seems to be a dawning recognition that we live in a world economy, not a local economy anymore. Perhaps we can use this as a catalyst moving forward to truly make meaningful changes on multiple levels.
This year has been challenging for me, but I see it as a new beginning and a platform for the future. We will each make a choice as to whether we move forward or backward.
I have much to be thankful for today. I hope you do too!
I would like to think of it more traditionally, as a day of reflection, of what we all have to be thankful for in our lives.
In our family every other year my wife's family gathers at our home. Although my parents have both passed away I get some vicarious pleasure from seeing the joy that comes from my Father in law as he gets to see his children and grandchildren assembled in one place.
My children will be joining us as well. At 18 and 22 they aren't children any more. Soon they will have their own families and their own traditions.
2008 has been an interesting year so far. I have returned to consulting after almost a seven year hiatus. I took the time to write the book I have always threatened to write. With the support of family and friends and the kind editing and gracious endorsement of my work I am preparing to formally publish it soon.
We saw a historic event in 2008. A woman and an African American competed for the nomination of a major party. The African American prevailed not only in winning the nomination of his party, but being elected as the President of the United States.
I like to think that pioneers like Abraham Lincoln, the Kennedy brothers, Dr. Martin Luther King and others who fought so hard for so long can look now and see that meaningful change is possible and that their sacrifices were not in vain.
We face on the deepest recessions that this country and perhaps the world has seen in generations, but there also seems to be a dawning recognition that we live in a world economy, not a local economy anymore. Perhaps we can use this as a catalyst moving forward to truly make meaningful changes on multiple levels.
This year has been challenging for me, but I see it as a new beginning and a platform for the future. We will each make a choice as to whether we move forward or backward.
I have much to be thankful for today. I hope you do too!
posted by Mark at New Paradigms LLC at
11:12 AM
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