Pass the Gravy...and Say Thanks
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and many of you (like me) will be spending time with family and friends watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, cheering on a football team, eating, eating and eating more, discussing current events, and arguing about politics! There’s nothing quite like a political battle between family members to make Thanksgiving memorable — for all the wrong reasons. I’m brushing up on my facts and getting my armor ready.
In our society, much has changed. Yet, coming together over a Thanksgiving meal has remained a staple for generations. It’s refreshing to have one day where the world slows down, where families and friends join together, and everyone has a story to share about a past holiday mishap (or is that just a Breittholz Family tradition?). Many of the big box stores that tested the waters last year and opened during Thanksgiving day decided not to continue down that road this year. Instead, they’ll retreat to midnight — is the deal really all that great?
Whether you are with family, with friends, or celebrating solo, I hope you take some time on Thanksgiving to reflect upon what you’re most thankful for, and to express that appreciation to someone who needs to hear it most.
In my professional capacity, I am thankful for the wonderful colleagues at CSU I work alongside each day of the week. I am also thankful for the volunteer leaders who commit their time, talents and treasures to advancing CSU. And I am thankful to the many alumni who engage with us through our various events, publications and experiences that connect alumni with one another and with CSU. The Alumni Association continues to thrive due to your involvement and support. Personally, I am thankful for the friends who helped me this year through the grieving process after much personal loss. They are truly dear to me.
So, enjoy the brief reprise, celebrate what’s good, express appreciation to others, and when the political talk starts heating up, just say, “pass the gravy.”