cooper chronicles

A child’s Thanksgiving. A simple lesson taught in school and church. What are things to be thankful for? Ask any 5 year old they’ll tell you what they’re thankful for: It’s those simple things. Houses. Cars. Ice Cream. Pets. The Park. Friends. Family.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It is the best of all. Not that Christmas isn’t a great but it has bent so far to commercialism it has become a dreaded chore. That’s why Thanksgiving is so great. I believe you cannot compel someone to be thankful. You either are or you aren’t. And thankfully, all the commercials in the world won’t change that. It’s not like your favorite grocery store is going to market their wares to you under the guise of being grateful - “come spend all your money on one meal this year so you can all know just how much you mean to each other!” It’s just too phony. And that’s why the great advertising powers that be haven’t successfully come up with a gratitude campaign.

That’s why it’s my favorite. I’m still as simple as a five year old. I’m thankful for a family. For a house to live in and a car to drive. I’m thankful for the ocean, it has such a calming effect on me. I’m thankful we are all working, there are so many we know that haven’t this year. I’m thankful for good health, we’ve all been very fortunate. I'm thankful each of my daughters have wonderful husbands and that each one of them is happy. I'm thankful for a wonderful little miss, that is now 15 months old, she truly is a joy. I'm thankful for the blessings church brings to our lives, for the blessings of God and the gospel.

So there you have it. Simple things to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving to each of you. Hopefully, it will be a good day for you too.