2020 has been an eventful year to say the least and not always in a good way. Today is Thanksgiving in America and like everything else 2020 it will be different.  All that said I have   many things to be grateful for as an American and even more so individually.  Let’s explore.

On a national scale I am very grateful to the vast majority of my fellow Americans who, like me, voted for Joe Biden for President and Kamala Harris for Vice President. The road will be less than smooth but they will be in office soon after noon on January 20^th.  I expect Republican obstruction but I am still confident that they and the team they will assemble will get the pandemic under control and in the process right the economy for more than just the fat cats and gamblers on Wall Street.

By virtue of the election Americans saved democracy in America. That is no small feat!  Democracy is both imperfect and fragile.  Most democracies die from within and we were closer to being terminal than many realize.  I look forward to America rejoining the family of nations and being its de facto leader again.

Closer to home, while overall disappointed with the election results in North Carolina there were a few very bright spots. The brightest was my friend Sarah Crawford winning a seat in the North Carolina State Senate.  Our friendship started in politics, extended to charitable work and became a “family affair”.  Her husband Dan is my go to environmental guy.  Fortunately I live in her district and for the first time in years feel I am represented in the North Carolina Senate.

Staying with representative government for a bit; due to redistricting and reelection I will now be represented in the United States House of Representatives by David Price. Sadly my two Senators are Richard “Bank Run” Burr and Thom Tillis.  Neither represents my interests or, in my opinion, those of any decent American.

Compared to my father’s generation the Baby Boomer generation has been very lucky in several ways. One of them was what we had to risk to save America.  My father had to join the Navy and face hostile fire to defeat the Nazis.  All I had to do was write a bunch of op-eds and vote to defeat the right wing extremists in the White House.

Speaking of those op-eds; I really appreciate my readers! There is no sense in writing these articles if they go unread.

I have a great wife. She is a three time cancer survivor with outstanding mom skills who broke a glass ceiling in banking decades ago.  We are happily retired now and the most important people in our lives are our six grandchildren.  Talk about a crew to be proud of!  Let me brag a bit.

They span twenty years. Numbers one and two have already graduated from college with honors.  (Number two a 2020 grad.)  Number three is wrapping up her first semester in college and a 4.0 wouldn’t surprise me.  Number four is a senior in high school.  In his junior year he was inducted into the National Honor Society and made academic all-conference in soccer.  Number five started middle school this fall and made the honor roll this last marking period.  Number six is a toddler who has speed and a good arm.  I’m trying to convince him he will be able to pitch and should view the late Bob Gibson as his idol.  Best of all in 2020 he was finally completely potty trained.

I’m a senior citizen and as such health is always an annoying concern. I underwent several prostate cancer tests a few weeks ago and the results all came back negative.  Looking at statistics and my personal medical history I feel prostate cancer is a matter of when not if but the longer it stays away the better.

My mother’s upbringing of me will be with me until the end; (for the most part, I’m obedient). Therefore I will celebrate today as my wife tells me to.  I still have a choice – something over a quarter million Americans do not.

Celebrate Thanksgiving as you see fit. In your own way give thanks for all the good you have enjoyed or can legitimately anticipate to in the near future.  Most of all stay safe and respect the safety of others!

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