Thanks for giving

In November 2015, just about a week before Thanksgiving, my father suffered a stroke. Since that time, the entire family has pulled together and discovered new ways to express our love for each other.  It turns out that even when patterns of caring seem to be unchanging, they do not define the limits of a relationship.  Caretaker can become caregiver.  The helping hand can extend in both directions.  When a child, no matter how old, has been loved unconditionally, the ability to love is not conditional.

Holidays are a good time to reconnect with the ones you love, and to feel the rhythm of the passing seasons.  The cool weather draws us inside; turning the last page of the calendar prompts us to take stock – acknowledging losses, registering gains, appreciating the people and the things that are constant in our lives.

This Thanksgiving, I want to thank the many people – especially my parents – who gave me the support and inspired in me the confidence I have felt throughout my life in meeting the challenges and embracing the opportunities I have known.  Thanks for giving me the love and support that have sustained me and allowed me to believe in myself.  Every child deserves such love.