Opinion: Finding time to be thankful

Being thankful for my dog AJ and my friend Joy for trusting me to be AJ’s second mom.

            “We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.”

— John F. Kennedy

By Kathryn Reed

Thank you to every Lake Tahoe News writer and photographer, and contributor. Thank you to those who send news tips. Thank you to those who offer advice, counsel and support. Thank you to each reader, advertiser and paid subscriber.

More important, though, thank you to my family and friends – for everything, even when I don’t want to hear it.

“Thank you” and “sorry” seem to be three of the most difficult words to say. And, yet, not a day goes by that we all could and probably should utter them.

Too often we wait too long and the opportunity is no longer there. Sometimes thanks comes at the end of life, when we know time is of the essence.

How hard would it be to slow down a little, to pause, to give thanks. Sure, it’s easy to do it today – on Thanksgiving. But what about tomorrow? And why didn’t you do so yesterday?

It’s easy to dwell on what doesn’t go right, the negatives of our lives.

I have friends dealing with serious health issues; a friend’s dad went on hospice this month; for some this is the first holiday since a significant loss; money is an issue for many; for others today is a reminder of their aloneness.

I know it can be hard at times to find something to be thankful for. There are days when the computer is so close to being thrown out the window and I pack up the Jeep with the dog and just start driving. But running away would only change the location where I would have to deal with my problems. And oddly, it just takes looking at AJ at times like this for my thanks to begin. Joy knew what she was doing when four years ago this fall she asked me to take AJ if she were to die.

AJ is proof that something wonderful can come from such incredible sadness. I will be forever thankful to Joy for bringing this dog into my life.

Look around – there must be something you are thankful for. Perhaps you would like to share it with everyone as a comment. And perhaps, just maybe, we can all keep finding thanks each and every day going forward.