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Being an American now living in Canada, I celebrate two Thanksgivings.  The first is the Canadian one in October, celebrated the same day as the American Columbus Day.  The second is the American one in late November, characterized by huge parades and a football game in downtown Detroit.  The differing times are widely accepted as coinciding with harvesting.  Canada being further north than its U.S. brethren, harvests earlier.  Therefore, Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated earlier.

But this is not a history lesson or a Grade 2 unit on the calendar.  Even with the football games, the parades and all the wanton gluttony, the real reason for this holiday often gets overlooked.  It’s a shame that it is…

Being thankful.

For the same reason the real meaning of Christmas is overlooked by commercialism, I believe that the real reason of Thanksgiving is overlooked by giant balloons and floats, as well as the turkey drumsticks given out to the winner of an NFL Thanksgiving Day game.

Being thankful.

It actually hit me like a thunderbolt last week.  I was sitting in the MediaPlex newsroom talking to a couple of my partners-in-crime on our MNN Sports Podcast.  Soon I looked at my watch and realized it was time to leave for the day, so I could pick up my kids from daycare.  The guys, understanding completely, said “See you later” and shook my hand as I walked out – a ritual that happens among us almost every day.

I got into my car and started driving toward home, but then I started to get emotional enough that I had to pull into the parking lot of a Tim Hortons and stop.  That was the moment when I realized I had so much in my life to be thankful for.

So leading into Thanksgiving, I’m thankful.

I’m thankful for the opportunity to return to school after so many years away, working and raising a family. It was not an idea that I embraced at first, but now that it’s happened, I’m loving every minute of it. I’m thankful to have a chance to update the skills that made me successful in this business in the past, and the chance to learn those aspects of the business that I was so hazy with before.

I’m thankful for my classmates…you all know who you are and I wish I had the time and the composure to tell each of you in person how much I value knowing you.  You are the reason I enjoy coming to the MediaPlex every day.

I’m thankful for all of the instructors that have shown patience while passing their knowledge of the business on to me and everyone else.  I’m thankful for the editors that look over my work to make sure it’s at a high standard, the radio leads that make us sound good, and even the classmate or two that’s agreed to venture into the field with me to ensure that my feet are wet.

I’m thankful for my cohorts on the sports podcast. There’s never a dull moment when we sit around talking about what topics we’re going to discuss, and then going into the radio studio and letting it rip.  A great group of guys and gals to talk sports with, then hang out at a burger joint afterwards.

I’m also thankful…

For living in a country where freedom to express our opinions is a cornerstone of the daily life.  For being able to participate in a free press that is not censored by the government or by special interests.

For living in Canada, a place of human warmth, brilliant colour, and spectacular nature.

For being an American, and being fortunate to still be able to travel the short distance to visit family and friends.

For living in Windsor, a city of so much style and oomph, a city of so many cultures and creeds.

But most of all…I’m thankful for my family, for allowing me the opportunity to go back and take care of unfinished business.  I’m so thankful for my wife and my two beautiful little girls.  You are the reason I get out of bed every day.

From the bottom of my heart…I’m thankful.