As we gather this week with family and friends for the Thanksgiving holiday, our thoughts turn to what truly enriches our lives.
I am grateful to be an American, with a renewed opportunity to serve my community, my state, and my nation. I am proud and humbled to once again represent my hometown in Congress, to advocate for Hoosiers, and to help strengthen our great city.
I am grateful in this job to have met so many extraordinary Hoosiers from all walks of life who face each day with faith and optimism in their ability to make a bright future for their children and to contribute to a safe, more prosperous world. From the veteran, to the teacher, to the small business owner, I have had the privilege of meeting and working with thousands of people whose daily work deserves our thanks.
As we enter this season of giving, may we remember as a nation that we have been uncommonly blessed. We live in peace while so many around the world struggle daily with violence. We can practice our faith, whichever it may be, freely, while millions still fight for this basic freedom. And, we gather with loved ones knowing that many are separated by insurmountable divides. Gratitude for this great nation should encourage and inspire a sense of civic duty and community in all of us.
Yet, despite these blessings, we cannot forget the Hoosiers who are struggling this holiday season.
More than one million Indiana residents are food insecure, including 346,000 children. Many of our friends and neighbors are still struggling to find work to pay the bills and put food on the table. And thousands of families will miss their loved ones deployed with our Armed Forces overseas. We should all feel driven to help and support our friends and neighbors in need.
So this holiday season, may we remember that to be truly great, our nation cannot rely on the virtue of institutions so much as the virtue of its people. There is no substitute in government for compassion for one’s fellow man.
Challenging times like these require each person to be motivated to greater action. As you prepare your Thanksgiving meal, remember it is our willing service and sacrifices that we demonstrate our sincere thanksgiving.
