Enjoy the turkey, don’t eat too much pie and remember to give thanks

Today is the day we set aside to give thanks. Just how we accomplish the task is as diverse as the makeup of our country.

The freedom to celebrate our way is one of the reasons our country is a great place to live in.

Many of us will use this day to consume copious amounts of holiday fare, ultimately succumbing to a mandatory Thanksgiving Day nap.

A good portion of us will warm by the glow of our flat screen televisions as football rules the day.

Others will gather their children in the morning and share in the tradition of the 85th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The giant balloons, the marching bands and the floats will bring smiles and plenty of giggles will rule the morning.

There will be those who stay home for a quiet, private ackowledgement of the holiday, while others brave winter driving to reach family and friends for socializing in person rather than on Facebook or via text message or email. What a novel idea!

No matter how you choose to spend the holiday, take a moment to consider all that you have. Ponder life as you know it, while considering what it could be like if things weren’t going your way.

Enjoy the peace of the day.

Black Friday and all its chaos arrives one day after the Thanksgiving feast. It seems such an odd name for an event that marks the official kickoff of the Christmas gift buying season.

The commercialization of the holiday was unavoidable. And most of us have a list of gifts to purchase to place beneath Christmas trees in our family circles. Is anyone going to be shopping at midnight or 5 a.m.?

Before the chaos begins, please pause for just a few moments today to take a deep breath, look around at your lives and give thanks for the day.

There’s always something to do and our schedules are hyper busy, but every once in awhile we all need to just take a pause to smell the roses or better yet, savor the aroma of a fresh baked pumpkin pie.

It’s amazing how the sights, sounds and scents of the Thanksgiving holiday can help us escape from the every day worries about life.

The Journal’s staff will spend the Thanksgiving holiday with their friends and family. Our office will be closed on Thursday and Friday.

We hope all of you enjoy the day, share a few laughs with friends and family and remember to give thanks for all that you have while thinking of those who have not.