Thanksgiving

Just looking to string together A Few Honest Words.  OK, I'm already in trouble because I stole that from Ben Sollee who's song I am listening to this morning as I get my day started with some music and some writing.

Most of my material is not original.  I draw inspiration and perspective from people all around me all day.  I learn stuff from them and apply it somewhere down the line.  Sometimes people say; "man, is he smart!"  But sometimes they say: "hey, where have I heard that before?"

The truth is on a day like today - Thanksgiving - it is not that hard to string together a few honest words to express how I am feeling.  I am scared.  I am happy.  I am grateful.  I am lucky, really lucky.  Always have been.  I have a heart that lives on flutter and often needs to be swallowed because it is beating in my throat.  Summoning up a good cry does not take much.  But that's a good thing.  It means I am alive and feeling much.

The adversity this family is facing is no different than that of thousands of other families going through really challenging times.  And I've stated it many times; embedded in a really bad situation is an amazing journey of support, inspiration, hope and love.  We just needed our eyes opened to it.  God keeps putting people in our lives that make it OK.

We are going to celebrate Thanksgiving with O'Hara's today at Doug and Maggie's in St. Paul - a house full of love and laughter.  Bring your earplugs!  Our thoughts and hearts will be with the Harkins' in Las Vegas also.

Shannon is awake - just walked upstairs with a big ol smile on her face.  Sunny the wonderdog is licking her like she's been away for months.   Happy Thanksgiving.