Thanks for giving

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, and this one was no exception.

Unlike Christmas, It doesn't bring along with it the stress of buying gifts for everyone or the labor of putting up a houseful of decorations.

I never was a big fan of Easter Sundays either because it was a trip to grandma's house where I had to sit on the couch dressed in a suit and tie while holding a basket filled with candy I didn't like, except for the occasional licorice jelly bean.

When my sister Carol was alive, she cooked two turkeys with all the trimmings, and baked five or so homemade pies to feed nearly 20 family members. Since many of us didn't see each other that often, it was a beautiful day to catch up on family life stories while we watched football games on TV.

Speaking of Thanksgiving football, the tradition of neighborhood rivalries has sadly ended in many towns due to scheduling conflicts around playoff games. When I was a kid growing up in New Jersey, my Uncle Al would take me to Rutgers Stadium for the New Brunswick vs. South River rivalry every Thanksgiving morning. I got to see Joe Theismann and Drew Pearson play for South River. Both would later become accomplished NFL stars.

This Thanksgiving Day had more energy than the usual laid-back family reunion. With the Black Friday frenzy, there was an anticipation to go Christmas shopping. Many stores were open on Thanksgiving Day, and if you jumped in early, you got in line for Midnight Madness when some retailers unlocked their doors under the light of the silvery moon.

At turkey dinners all across this country, many families said how blessed they were for the Lord providing them with everything they needed, but then they ran to the stores the next day and almost knocked people over to buy what they didn't have.

Appreciation seems to be temporary to some, but not with me. Here's my, "Thanks for Giving" list:

To my wife, Stacie: Thanks for giving me your love that has a fulfilled my life beyond my imagination, and especially for giving me the gift our two beautiful children.

To my kids, Richie and Sadie: Thanks for giving me a home filled with laughter and love and for giving me the keys to reopen the door to my own childhood, something that had been locked up many years ago.

To my longtime friends, Mike, George and Terry: Thanks for giving me your love and understanding, especially during times I had to make life-changing decisions.

To my nephews, Billy and Roger: Thanks for giving the family the same classic two-turkey Thanksgiving celebration Carol did for so many years.

To the store managers who did not open on Thanksgiving Day: Thanks for giving your employees a day off to be home with their families.

To Marta Gouger, Emmett McCall and Ed Hedes, editors of this newspaper: Thanks for giving me the opportunity to report on high school sports and to share my thoughts with your readers every week.

To the readers of this column: Thanks for the privilege of giving me a few minutes of your time on Saturdays.

This time of year, I'm reminded that sometime ago, I came across an idea that encouraged me to reach out to someone who had made a positive impact on my life.

I wrote a letter of thanks to a friend who had been a guidance counselor from the high school where I taught. I had often talked with Mikki about my life. She didn't just hear me, she listened to me, and there is a world of difference between the two.

Mikki set me on a path to happiness with words that I will never forget.

"Listen to the honesty that speaks from your heart, not the voice of doubt that's in your head."

Perhaps you can write a letter or send an email to someone who has helped you in some special way.

Your expression of gratitude will be an early holiday gift that will make both of you smile and help make this the "most wonderful time of the year."

Rich Strack can be reached at katehep11@gmail.com.