Finding a new angle for an editorial about Thanksgiving proved to be a challenge this week.
Like most major holidays and annual events, Thanksgiving is something we write about annually, talking about the joys of tradition and spending time with family and friends. At a certain point, you run out of ways to remind people to spend the day being grateful for what they have, especially when you’ve been doing so far over a century!
Then we read this week’s “Damariscotta History” column.
If you haven’t already, skip over to page 12A to read Calvin Dodge’s ode to the holiday – his 88th time celebrating it – and consider his view.
What he’s grateful for runs the gamut, from the freedoms we enjoy that others sacrificed their lives for to a neighbor’s call to check in. There’s nothing too big or too small – he has an endless supply of gratitude to give, which is something we should all try to emulate.
In the spirit of Calvin, here are a few of the things we’re thankful for that we may sometimes take for granted:
We’re grateful for the absence of political ads on TV, something that can’t be truly appreciated until it’s too late.
We are thankful to clerks, administrative assistants, secretaries, and anyone else who is charged with answering the phone and guiding us to the person or department we’re trying to reach. (Our reporters especially appreciate how you always are in a good mood, even if it’s the fifth time they’ve called.)
Beyond our gratitude to the LCN team, we thank everyone who contributes to the newspaper, from the advertisers who support our work and writers who submit letters to the editor to the characters who agree to tell their stories and columnists who educate, entertain, and even inspire us week after week.
There’s plenty to be thankful for, and this list could easily fill up the pages of this paper and beyond. All we needed was a little prompting, thanks to Calvin.
May you and yours have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
