Let’s be thankful for is the ability to forgive and forget the misgivings we have with others. We worry too much about the conversations at Thanksgiving dinners that may go off the rails. Forget all that. Your brother-in-law’s opinion is as ridiculous to you as his is to yours. What ever is going on in the world is not going to be resolved at your dinner table. More than that. It is not enjoyable conversation.

The subject of dinners at my house never solved a problem and never will. They have, however made people laugh at themselves or at stories told or impromptu songs that were sung. In other words, we came into the room to enjoy each other’s company. No one at the table is influential enough to change the world.

We are, on the other hand capable of changing ourselves and we do it all the time. As we mature, we often transition from self interest to family interest or community interest. But none of that is done at a family gathering. It is done in the solitude of a walk in the woods or while fishing by a stream when we are all alone. If you say you need a project to work on, I get it. The project is us. It is always us, the individual.

At dinner this holiday I hope we all can laugh. Laugh at ourselves and each other. A few years ago, I had a dinner party where we all were telling stories and jokes. One of my guests was a college president and he took his turn at telling a joke. He screwed it up so bad that his mis telling of the joke was funnier than the joke could ever have been.
This Thanksgiving let’s make the goal be, having a good time with each other.

On behalf of myself, our staff and our Board of Directors we wish you a
Happy Thanksgiving

Ernie Fazio