Good day, All! It’s (almost) Friday!!

This time of year, I think about pilgrims and muskets and live turkeys and cornucopia. Others think about the lyrics “Over the hill and through the woods to Grandmother’s house we go”…and others think about Black Friday sales and the upcoming Christmas holiday season.

Thanksgiving may be an annual holiday but just like Veterans Day, Independence Day, and Mother’s Day – we should be thinking about a grateful mindset (as well as appreciation for freedom fighters, the liberties we enjoy and Moms) each and every day. Be thankful, show gratitude, appreciate what you have, who you are, and where you live.

So this week, we didn’t go to Grandma’s house, we didn’t eat turkey (together), and we weren’t in the same city on Thursday. Truth is, it’s downright difficult to pull together a modern day family from three different metropolitan areas for … anything.

Regardless of the setting, the temperature, the menu or the calendar…we gathered as family (Ohana) to spend time together, celebrate two birthdays around turkey day and enjoy the company of those closest to us. We laid out, we walked, we swam, we golfed, we rode ATV’s, and we hiked.

Pictured above at Smith’s Luau, we navigated the rain, took an informative trolley tour, ate the traditional pig prepared in an Imu, avoided the poi, and learned how to dance the Hukilau Hula…or watched as others tried to master it.

We are a blessed family who, like all families, have dealt with difficulties. Even on a trip to paradise,

•We took shelter when it rained.
•We argued over silly stuff, but moved on.
•We slipped and fell on muddy trails.
•We scraped knees and twisted ankles.

But we picked ourselves up, dried out, washed off, put triple antibiotic on the wounds and apologized for hurt feelings.

I am grateful for blessings and I am grateful for adversity, because it provides perspective.
I am grateful that we are all provided opportunities to strengthen our resilience.
I am grateful for new experiences in addition to traditions.
I am grateful for people who smile bigger and more often than I do.
I am grateful for the serious who barely ever smile.
I am grateful to have a family of loved ones to spend time with, in good times and bad, happy, sad, sick, or healthy.

Finally, I am grateful to God for sending his only Son to die for us that we might have eternal life.

I encourage all to reflect daily on the things in your life worthy of gratitude.

Have a blessed weekend!