YETMO

”Happy Turkey Day – It’s Thanksgiving Again -- Already!"

Today, it is OK to be a turkey. Whether you are one, eat one, or think your boss is one, enjoy the day.

Today is a great opportunity to count blessings and give thanks for the many wonderful things in our lives. We live in a fantastic country, and despite all the work that is required to make our nation and world even better, let’s be joyous, at least for this one day.

Of course, we should be thankful every day – and give back to those who have less than us. There is always someone who has less than you, even if you have less than many others.

I pray that in the years to come we can all learn to conduct reasonable discussions among ourselves so that we can truly “understand” the positions and passions of friends, strangers, adversaries, and detractors. Agreement would be nice, but understanding would be nicer. That should be the real goal. If I understand you, I must have actively listened to your concerns, asked questions about your viewpoint, and, finally, I must have come away knowing why you feel the way you feel.

I have also found that the more people understand one another, the more likely they are to accede to the other’s wishes. Of course, that would be within reason. There’s always a catch, isn’t there?

Although I’m an optimist, I try to resist being overly idealistic or utopian. Nevertheless, movement occurs through understanding. Gridlock results from being argumentative.

Here’s to the holidays. Here’s to your good fortune, health, and happiness.

Here’s to understanding.

Happy Thanksgiving.