<\/p>\n
Thanksgiving Sadness, 2018<\/p>\n
By Kate Chamberlin<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I have so many Blessings in my life to be thankful for.\u00a0 This year, however, I am engulfed in an over-whelming sense of wrenching sadness and dark foreboding.<\/p>\n
On a global level, I\u2019m depressed about the civil strife in the Middle East; the pandemic health issues in Africa; the armament of North Korea; the intellectual infringements of China and Russia; and, of course, climate change that seems to blanket all of us.<\/p>\n
Our 20-year old grandson enlisted in the Marines after high school, graduated from Parris Island, trained to be a fixed wing aircraft mechanic, and promptly deployed to Bahrain. He returned to the states to train with advanced weapons and live ammo and, although, he won\u2019t be home for Thanksgiving, he is combat ready to serve and protect our country.<\/p>\n
On the National scene, I\u2019m concerned about the families decimated by the Camp and other fires in California; the 13-year old girl in Milwaukee, who was shot and killed in\u00a0 her bedroom of her home, only two years after her essay on non-violence won an award in the Martin Luther King Day contest; the prolificacy of mass shootings in our malls, churches, and other large venues, not to mention the polarization of races and creeds,\u00a0\u00a0 that are continuing to erode the morale and patriotism of Americans.<\/p>\n
Our eldest son has lived in California for decades. His home isn\u2019t endangered by the Camp Fire, however, they do have to pay attention to the Air Quality Index, which measures the ash residue and smog levels. When the levels are too high, they stay in-doors. His twins made a video of their Thanksgiving dinner preparations and posted it on YouTube, so, we felt included in their Thanksgiving, even though we\u2019re on opposite coasts .<\/p>\n
Our second son won\u2019t be able to make it home for Thanksgiving, either. He and his family live in Pennsylvania, but, he is the owner\/operator of a long-haul trucking business. He phoned us to let us know he was on the road with his big rig.<\/p>\n
Locally, I am particularly distressed about my 18-year old grandson being in jail; the effect divorce of our daughter from his adoptive Father is having on our grandson; the Assistant Principal of the Pal-Mac High School, who stalks and persecutes specific students; the school\u2019s and community\u2019s lack of response to and for children who are at risk; and, of course,\u00a0 our grandson\u2019s failure to understand how much he is loved, appreciated, and supported by his grandparents.<\/p>\n
The afternoon before Thanksgiving, our 7-1\/2 year old grandson came for a visit. He and Granddad put up our train set. Then, he and our daughter came on Thanksgiving Day to join us for turkey, stuffing, KB Sweet potatoes, acorn squash, garlic mashed potatoes, and green beans almandine, as well as, pecan pie and pumpkin pie. We enjoyed telling train stories as the toy train ran circles on its track and appreciated each other, but, it saddened me to not have our whole family together.<\/p>\n
For now, all of this is over-whelming, but, in due time, I\u2019ll regain my sunny optimism. I\u2019ll edit and polish \u201cMemoir of A Silver Girl\u201d and shop around my Middle Grade novel \u201cHey! You Got Eyeballs In There?\u201d, and start to re-count my Blessings\u2026just as soon as that 18-year old gets out of jail.<\/p>\n
\u201cGod, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,<\/p>\n
Courage to change the things I can,<\/p>\n
And wisdom to know the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
–American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (1892\u20131971)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Btw: My grandson is out of jail. One of his comments was that he\u2019d never before realized how many minutes there were in a day. Prayerfully, this has been a wake up call to not waste anymore minutes of his life. He is going to school, working at Dunkin\u2019 Donuts, and training in Martial Arts\u2019 Mao Tai. Blessing count #1.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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