For Release November 20, 2005

A Time To Give Thanks

AGRI-VIEWS
by Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent

My wife and I were part of the throng from Kansas State at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln Nebraska last Saturday. Much of the game is now pretty much a blur. But the most memorable part of the afternoon was before the game even started.

New construction at the north end of the stadium is in process. A large crane was critically positioned to serve as a flagpole during the game. A huge American flag was attached to the cable and the cable secured to part of the new stadium so that the flag basically was blowing straight out in the strong winds during the game. That was until it ripped free from the cable in the third quarter, got caught in the main mast of the crane and had to be rescued.

Just before the national anthem was played, honor guards from each of the military services were introduced. They walked across the football field and took their places along the sideline, one branch of the military at a time. I was so moved by all of this I couldn't have sang the national anthem if I had to.

It sometimes becomes very easy to forget all that we have to be thankful for. There were 76,000 plus people in attendance during that football game. We never were concerned about our safety. We didn't worry that some one would come and tell us which team we could or couldn't yell for. We had the freedom to drive to Lincoln, meet with and visit with friends, enjoy a good meal and go on our way. We didn't worry about a surprise checkpoint or terroists. We were simply able to enjoy ourselves. And much of that freedom of worry goes to those five branches of the military that were represented at the start of the game.

We all see a lot of people who seem very unhappy because of what they don't have. We want new cars or new computers, an iPod or a vacation to a nice resort. Come to think of it, I don't hear very many people saying they want a house that's more than corrugated metal nailed to a few boards. I don't hear very many people saying that they hope there is food on the table tonight for dinner. I can't recall the last time I heard someone say that they wished they had a new pair of shoes, because the only pair they own has holes in the sole.

Yet many people around the world, in our own country, our own state, yes even in our own community are wishing for some of the basic needs that we take for granted. As a society, our country finds it very easy to forget how much we have and how little we lack. In fact it is hard for us to understand what it is like to be in need. In spite of all the troubles we think we have, we actually have it very good.

So instead of spending all your time between now and Thanksgiving worrying about all the rushing around you have to do, and instead of wondering how much of your Christmas shopping you can get done the day after Thanksgiving, and instead of worrying about how much the gas for the trip to Grandmother's house might cost, think about how fortunate you are to have what you have.

Think about what you might be able to do in the next 365 days so that others might have a little more to be thankful for next year. Take the time to tell someone how thankful you are for what they do to make your life a little better or a little safer. Let's make sure that this year we all are giving thanks on Thanksgiving!

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