The ABC’s of Thanksgiving

One of my favorite activities is to Google a word to discover its meaning. I recently Googled the word 'Thanksgiving,' this is how it was defined: 'The expression of gratitude; especially to God.' A second definition describes our one-day national holiday of Thanksgiving.

For many people, Thanksgiving Day is a particular time to give thanks for all the past year's blessings. However, every day is a time to give thanks.

Years ago, one of my pastors told us that if we have difficulty falling asleep at night, we should go through the alphabet, one letter at a time, and think of something we are thankful for. At first, I thought this would be challenging, but I found it much easier than I expected when I tried it.

I still use this technique at times. Our alphabet contains 26 letters, and I rarely have difficulty being thankful for 26 different things in my life. I am grateful for everything from asparagus to zucchini and everything in between. I even found the letter x to be no difficulty when I remembered all my Xrays, which helped improve my health.

I also discovered that I am most thankful for many nonmaterialistic things. They are not things I possess but events or people who have been a part of my life. The first that comes to mind is that I am so thankful that my parents decided to leave Evanston, Ill., in 1951 and move to Dorchester. I often wonder how different my life would have been if this move had not occurred.

Friends are also on my list of things for which I am thankful. I am fortunate to have many friends from my church and the schools where I taught. I know that help is only a phone call away if I ever find myself in need. My church family gives my wife and me the love and support we need. And to still have contact with many of my childhood friends is also a great blessing.

I am most thankful for my health. At the age of 78, I know I could have many health issues. However, for the most part, I am doing remarkably well. My wife and I live independently, have an excellent social life, and have no dietary restrictions. I can still enjoy my classic cars and the antics of being The Mayberry Guru.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. If you have difficulty sleeping, try counting your blessings using the alphabet.

Megan Christian hosts the nation’s longest-running tourism TV show, Discover Wisconsin. Watch the show Saturdays at 10 a.m. on Bally Sports Wisconsin or online at DiscoverWisconsin. com. Follow Discover Wisconsin on Facebook (facebook.com/discoverwisconsin), Instagram (instagram.com/discoverwisconsin), and TikTok (tiktok. com/discoverwisconsin).

BE OUR

G UEST

BY

KEN ANDERSON “THE MAYBERRY GURU”