November 19, 2007
Editor:
Dave Uphoff
The original purpose of Thanksgiving was to celebrate or give thanks for a bountiful harvest. Over the years Thanksgiving has lost much of its meaning and it now is characterized by a day of gluttony and football on television. Since most of us do not have a bountiful harvest to be thankful for perhaps we should take stock of what we can be thankful for as too often we take them for granted.First of all, we all should be grateful that we live in the greatest country in the world. In spite of an unpopular war and incompetent political leaders, America is still the beacon of democracy and freedom, a place for those who seek to better themselves, a place where we are free to express our beliefs and our religion without repercussions from our government. In spite of the many problems facing our country, we the people have the power to change things. With the coming presidential election we must exercise that power and elect those leaders who we feel will steer our country in the right direction. Beyond the national level, there are many things that we can be thankful for. The area farmers can be thankful for the best crop yield and crop prices ever due to plentiful rainfall and an increased demand for corn because of the increased production of ethanol. Farmers in the drought stricken Southeast were not so fortunate. We can be thankful that we live in the Midwest. We are located near the center of the country and can reach either coast with a 2 to 3 hour plane flight. The Midwest still represents the true culture of this country where hard work and friendliness are our trademarks. We have the best soil in the world for growing crops and gardens with adequate rainfall and 4 distinctive seasons that give tempo and richness to our life.
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We can be thankful that we live in Minonk. We live in a town with a beautiful residential area with houses that would cost twice as much in Bloomington and 3 times as much in Chicago. We have little crime or pollution, good schools, and no traffic jams. We can drive to work in Peoria or Bloomington in 30 minutes which is less than half the time it would take to commute to work in Chicago. The cultural and sporting events in Chicago are only 2 hours away. We are 30 minutes away from one of the best downstate shopping centers located in Bloomington. We live among friends and neighbors, some whom we have known all of our lives. In short, we have access to the amenities of a big city but enjoy the comforts of small town living. Finally, we can be thankful in our personal lives if we have our health. As one gets older you realize that your health becomes more important relative to other things in your life. When you are young, you take good health for granted. As you get older, you start to get chinks in your armor. Whenever I become despondent I think of some of my peers who have passed on and of the close calls I have had in my life and I immediately realize how fortunate I am to still be alive. So if you live in America and have your health, you have everything in the world to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
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