THANKSGIVING - And Thanks!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and not by a little.

It's everything that is great about a holiday.  Yeah, there's the "F's"  Food, Fun, Family, and Football, and that's great.  But for me, there is so much more.  How cool is it we set aside an entire day, just to say - "thanks."  That's it.  Just - "thanks."  And add another "F." Friends.

One reason I think this day is so powerful to me, is that I spent it away from my actual family for many years while I was moving around the nation in Country Radio.  21 in fact.  What Thanksgiving did for me then, and does for me now is solidify my friendships that I have had for my entire life.  And because of the road life has led me, my friendships are my guiding light.

I remember spending a couple Thanksgivings with my friend Debbie and her husband John.  He is an amazing chef, and I am still in awe of him making, and me eating,  a completely de-boned turkey - delicious!  I spent a few a with my friends Ray and Debbie too, who have a very large family and they still made room for me, and Ray says they still set a place for me each year.  My friends Tim, and Kelley invited me for a few, and we had amazing times there with us and their dogs.  And my friends Don and Terri and their family, who have always made me feel welcome at Thanksgiving and every other day.

Funny, Ray, Tim and Don represent a combined 101 years of friendship to me. And how lucky am I (and the 4 of us) that we still get together a few times every year in Florida and play golf, eat, smoke cigars and hang by the pool.  They are amazing friends.  As are my friends Tex and Tammi, and Joe and Lori, and Kurt and Meg who represent another combined 105 years of friendship to me.

Everyone I have mentioned here is worthy of  my thanks for so many reasons. Some because they were, and are amazing family when I was away from my family all those years. I am sure you have those people in your life too, who aren't technically family, but feel like it, and feel like it more in some cases. 

Like mine.  Happy Thanksgiving and - Thanks!