A Few Words Of Thanks

I am grateful for my education and my admission into a profession which — though it frustrates and stresses me greatly at times — nevertheless also embodies many of my personal ideals, challenges me intellectually, and has given me cause to learn all manner of amazing and interesting things while meeting all manner of fascinating people. The money’s decent, too, even if the hours suck and the clients are sometimes ingrates.

I am grateful to live in a nation where individual rights are a part of the fundamental and supreme law of the land, safeguarded and mostly taken seriously by a mostly politically independent, mostly intellectually admirable, and mostly non-corrupt judiciary, and which is also blessed with a mostly functioning democracy. Imperfect though it is, one need not look far afield to see that the polity in the United States could so easily be so much worse.

I am grateful to have become part of a community of minds and writers willing to share freely of themselves intellectually, with diverse tastes and visions, who engage and interact on the merits, and where the spirit of productive argument is embraced as an ideal. As an added bonus, those Leaguesters with whom I have had the pleasure of making personal acquaintance are in person every bit as pleasant and interesting as they are online.

I am grateful to have the support of strong family ties, particularly when other parts of my life hit rough patches. I use “family” in a broad sense here, including the selected family of close friends as well as blood relations and, most of all, the selected family that my wife and I formed years previously. The love this amazing and beautiful woman has given me has proven unconditional and a powerful source of strength and confidence to me.

When I have been overseas or met with people from other parts of the world than the United States, they have universally been charmed at the idea of Thanksgiving. And why not? Taking a day (or two) to slow down is a good thing all by itself. Doing so for the purpose of contemplating what is good in one’s life is even better. Filling that day with friends and family with whom to share those good things is better yet, and marking the sharing of those good things with the sharing of a special meal makes the ritual a celebration.

May your Thanksgivings be thus described, Readers!