Thanksgiving

A month ago, this tree in our yard reminded us of the coming season.

One month at this time of year makes a difference here in Minnesota.  No leaves on the tree, now, but no lasting snow on the ground either.  Thanksgiving day will be chilly, but nice otherwise.

As we all know, the seasons continue.  Happy Thanksgiving, wherever you are.

One month ago in our yard.

There are many reflective thoughts for me this season.

In all of our lives there are millions of minutes (525,600 of them each year), and many memories: things that have impacted each of us in many ways.  Today, 60 years ago, I was a brand new teacher setting up for a science class when the announcement came that President Kennedy had been shot; a short time later that he had died.

I really didn’t know a lot about John Kennedy.  Two-thirds of his 1,000 days as President I had been in the Army. At the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, October 22, 1962, I and other GIs had watched him speak thanks to the Mess Sergeant’s tiny tv in a barracks at Ft. Carson, Colorado.  (The first third of the 1,000 days I was a senior in college, but at 20 not yet old enough to vote in the 1960 election under the then-rules.)

Memories.

I am thankful this day for many reasons.  I like to consider myself an optimist.

President Kennedy’s life and work is and will be analyzed continuously.

For me, the essence of his message then, and still today, was very simple: each of us have a crucial role in making our community, worldwide, a better place for everyone.

The ball is in our court each day.  What happens, or not, is up to us.

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If you’re reading this, you probably see my postings here from time to time.  The most recent three are Teddy, on Nov. 13, (about president Teddy Roosevelt and North Dakota). A Moment in Time, Nov. 15, is  about a 1972 family reunion in ND.  Gaza , Nov. 18, about the tragic situation in Gaza/Israel.

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I close this post with some thoughts I had about another tree on the North Dakota prairie the summer of 2005.  Nature has wisdom to share.

And,  this day, I think of September song.  Here’s Frank Sinatra’s rendition in 1965:  “As the days dwindle down….”

Let’s make productive use of the minutes remaining in each of our lives.

Ft. Carson Colorado 1962, my barracks a couple of blocks from this end of the base; Pike’s Peak and Cheyenne Mountain area in background.  This was my “home” from January, 1962, to October, 1963.

POSTNOTE: I’ve elected to start listening to Rob Reiner’s podcast “Who Killed JFK?”.  It sounds promising.  You can access it here.  The segments are about 40 minutes. Three segments to date, all available: Nov. 8, 15 & 22.  There are commercials, otherwise no cost.  I am not a conspiracy theorist, but I do like to inquire into things.  There are multiple segments to this program and I think I’ll listen to them all.