A Thanksgiving Note

[Guest guest]

Happy Thanksgiving all !!!

I was doing some thinking the other day about what I truly have to be thankful

for. When you really look at the big picture there is SO MUCH, to be thankful

for it is mind-boggling. So I decided since we share so much with each other,

that I would share what I am thankful for this year.

I am thankful I live in America. I am thankful for the freedoms provided to me

being a citizen here in this great country. I am thankful that I can vote and

have a part in how this country is run. I am thankful for our soldiers, who,

knowing their lives are in danger, go willingly to keep this country, my family

and my friends safe and free. I am thankful that 3 years ago this country took a

terrible blow from some sick people, yet we stand strong and continue to be a

country of freedom. I am thankful for all the emergency service workers who work

everyday to keep my family safe and secure.

I am thankful for my family, though we have our spats we are there for each

other, I am thankful that my mom and my grandmother are still here to celebrate

the holidays with. I am thankful that for the most part I have 2 brothers who I

can hang with and just be a kid again with. I am thankful I have a beautiful

16-year-old daughter, who is my world, and in this day were kids are in so much

trouble, I am thankful that for the most part, she has been trouble free. I am

thankful that she loves her dad and wants to see him happy and tries to live

that way. I am thankful for my fiancé, that she is there anytime with arms open

to give me a hug, to tell me she loves me and to be there to talk too. I am

thankful she is able to deal with my work schedule and the stress that this job

sometime brings. I am thankful for my true friends. It is so nice that I can

just be me around them. They accept me for who I am not what they want me to be.

I am thankful that I have a nice place to live, a roof over my head, food on the

table, cable TV (that gives 500 channels of nothing lol), and a computer. I am

thankful I have a nice used pickup truck that runs good. I am thankful for my

health, being tall and overweight, I could have so many health problems, but for

the most I am healthy. I am thankful that I have a job. That I can go to work

most days and enjoy doing it. I am thankful that I can be the first person to

help someone in their time of need. I am thankful to the management of the

department I work at, who took a long shot and hired me; I will not soon forget

it. I am thankful that this is the first thanksgiving that my best friend Steve,

will spend at home with his premature daughters. Jonaah is home from the

hospital for a few months and doing awesome, for the first time, that family

will spend the holidays together. THANK GOD !!!

There are just so much of the simple things to be thankful for. I really think

sometimes we forget what its all about, me included, we always want more, or

better, or the new thing. It seems so much easier to want more then what we

have, to always want better, rather then just sit back and soak in all the

blessings we DO have. There are so many that go with out. Without a home, with

out a job, with out food, with out a car. My wish this holiday season, is that

we all take a moment to evaluate what we truly have and learn to be thankful for

that. I know my evaluation of my life made things a lot brighter.

Have a great thanksgiving all. To those working, I'll be here all day too. Thank

You, God bless and Happy Holidays !

Jeff Noonan

Dutchess County 911