As I was pondering what to write about this week, there were a myriad of ideas that ran across my mind, though I kept feeling like I needed to write something about the Thanksgiving holiday.
I kind of felt like I had a mini Shannon on each of my shoulders. On the left shoulder was the mini Shannon who kept saying to write about something relevant and current, while the mini Shannon on my right shoulder kept saying Thanksgiving is relevant, so write about that.
So which mini Shannon did I choose?
Both, because they each had valid points.
So in an attempt not to sound any more schizophrenic than I already have, allow me to explain.
As I watched and read the news over the past week I saw so many “heavy” and unfortunate things occurring throughout this world. It was all heart breaking.
There are the issues in the Middle East; the conflict between Israel and Hamas who are arguing over the autonomy of Palestine. Israelis believe military check points are needed to keep tabs on terrorists, while their counterparts feel they need more freedom. At the typing of this editorial, another Israeli aircraft just struck a crowded area in the Gaza Strip.
On the East Coast of the U.S., thousands of people are still without power weeks after violent Hurricane Sandy struck the area.
Here locally, we have not been immune to the ails of the world.
Residents on the Southside of the city are still trying to cope with life (and death) after the Richmond Hills neighborhood was devastated in a still yet-to-be determined explosion that resulted in five homes being destroyed, 26 additional homes significantly damaged and over 200 people forced from their homes.
On the Northwestside of Indianapolis, 45-year-old Anthony Hicks Sr. was gunned downed by coworker Alonzo Laws, 44, while in the employee break room at ConAgra Foods distribution center. Officials are not releasing further details of the investigation.
And then there is Greenfield resident Tiffany Shull, 26, who was killed last Friday night when her car struck a tree.
All of the aforementioned items are current and certainly newsworthy, so they are worthy of mention in this week’s editorial. And as unfortunate as each of these instances are, they also help to remind us of a few things:
(1) As difficult as life can be, as Americans, we still have liberties that people in other countries continue to fight for.
(2) Death is a part of life and we never know when it’s our time, so we have to value each day, hour and second of our lives.
(3) We must always remember how blessed we are and for that, we should be thankful.
As we partake in all the festivities of Thanksgiving, we need to remember that there are people, right in Indiana who have lost loved ones, who are without homes, and who are poor and hungry. Sometimes, we can become so involved in the day-to-day aspects of our lives that we forget just how good we have things. Even worse, some people even expect that good things will always be upon them; which is so not the case.
I challenge each of you to take time while you’re eating all the delicious holiday fare, to tell someone (or even reflect amongst yourselves) of how fortunate you are and to offer up thanks for your current situations … even if those situations are not as ideal as you may like them to be.
And if you indulge in the Black Friday shopping, maybe you will consider purchasing something for someone you don’t know and donating that item to a local shelter or organization. Small gestures of kindness can make a big difference in someone’s life.
Happy Thanksgiving!
You can email comments to Shannon Williams at shannonw@indyrecorder.com.
