Thanks

It does not take a lot to show thankfulness. This time of the year soup kitchens and non-profits get inundated with requests for volunteer opportunities. These agencies welcome this mass onslaught of help, but wish it happened year round. I can't tell you how many times I hear a friend seeking to volunteer or give in one way, only to find out that it was their next door neighbor that really needed help, or a co-worker two desks away.

Christmas started showing up before the trick or treaters, and it feels like Thanksgiving could be skipped over. The joke about it taking longer to cook the Thanksgiving meal than it does to eat it is a true statement. I don't recommend conforming to the norm that retailers set. There will always be a gift to purchase and a deal to get. Most Black Friday purchases are not gifts.

My girlfriend Bonnie has a lot of damage after Hurricane Irma blew her way through the Florida Keys. She's ready to get a new big screen television, laptops for her kids, and furniture. Black Friday is a holiday she's looking forward to.

There's also a small station in Oklahoma with a limited budget and a morning man with a huge heart. He's inviting his listeners to drop off Christmas and holiday cards for that towns First Responders. All are welcome to wish that town's heroes a very merry everything. This act of kindness refreshes the fact that right in this small town there are heroes at the ready, and a way we can high-five them back. The entire event will be rich and plentiful with local love.

So this holiday season, share the secret ingredient in Grandma's stuffing, love on the retail workers who are entering their busy season, and open up that door to the real stories that deserve to be shared, not just the deals and steals. Happy Thanksgiving.

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