Thanksgiving is one of my absolute favorite holidays.  There is nothing like taking a moment to celebrate all of our many blessings and good fortune by giving thanks.

 

A few years ago, I was in Boston with my wife for a conference and we had the opportunity to travel to Rowley, Massachusetts and pay our respects to Thomas Nelson.  Thomas Nelson and his father, also named Thomas, travelled from England to America in 1638.  By 1645, the father had enough of America and headed back to England, despite having a 6 acre house lot that was built in 1643 and having built both a grist mill and a sawmill on the Mill River; he was probably disappointed with the lack of reliable Wi-Fi and spotty cell phone service and decided to throw in the towel.  Thankfully, his son Thomas decided to stay in America and build a life here.

 

 

One of the things I am most grateful for is my ancestor Thomas Nelson’s decision to stay in America.  I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult that must have been to leave your home country with its established comforts and start a new life under extremely difficult circumstances.  And thanks to him and his efforts, I have been blessed to enjoy the many opportunities and freedoms that this great nation has provided for me. I give thanks to him and think about him during this holiday season.

 

In addition to thanks-giving during this time of year, I want to share the concept of thanks-receiving and how it applies to Rotary and each one of us.