The hearts and minds of most of our nation will tomorrow go to home and family.  Another year has past us by and the good Lord willing most of us are still standing.  Thanksgiving is a day to relax and spend time with those you love and care for.  It is a time to do what we Americans seem to do best and that is consume what the world has to offer.

While tens of thousands of Americans stand in line today for hours for the uncooked version of tomorrows traditional dinner from charity groups, that number pales to those who will stand in line for a simple meal handed out by these same charities and served by volunteers on our actual day of thanks.  I view these images as a double edged sword.  They show on one side the giving and open heart of our nation willing to help those in need.  On the other side you see longer lines, shortages at food banks and the inevitable people who slip through the cracks.  That side shows tightened belt straps across the board while the need for charity has dramatically increased.

The happy side shows Americans helping their countrymen on a national holiday.  The down side shows that more of those countrymen are in need of help than ever before.

The lucky among us will eat a filling meal at home surrounded by loved ones and watching T.V. all day.  In a weeks time the leftovers will be going either in the trash, to the dog or into the freezer.  Then we will start to prepare for the next big feast next month where there will not only be food but presents as well.

Those Americans who are not so lucky will eat a meal that will fill them for a day, dished out to them in a cafeteria line.  They will spend this joyous day eating with strangers and I seriously doubt there will be any leftovers.  Sadly they will not get the turkey sandwiches, turkey pie and turkey and dumplings that most of us will soon come to dread.  The day after tomorrow will be another cold day spent looking for food and shelter.  What we throw in the trash or slate for the dog would be yet another holiday banquet for our unlucky countrymen.

I ask us all, myself included, to take a moment, just one fleeting moment when we sit down to tomorrows feast to pause and think of the hundreds of thousands of Americans that are not as fortunate as we are.

Then, as we all can do, put it out of your mind for the day.  Enjoy the feast, love the family and take the weekend off.

Be extra thankful this Thanksgiving for the fact that you can be thankful.

Looks good doesn't it? As you celebrate don't forget to give a thought to your fellow Americans that have barely enough or not enough to eat this holiday.