Season reminds us to be grateful

Clyde Davis: Local Columnist

I was recently out of surgery, in the time which has come to be known as the Great Bout with the Unthinkable, circa August 2001.

Because they had operated on my stomach and my esophagus, I had been forbidden to eat for a week; the surgery site needed to heal.

Thus, as the surgery had taken place on a Friday, it was the following Saturday when a young doctor entered my room and announced I was allowed to go down to the cafeteria and choose a soft meal of my liking.

It so happens that I have always been fond of mashed potatoes, the real kind. Therefore, mashed potatoes constituted my first meal. I have been, and still am, grateful for mashed potatoes.

I am grateful, this Thanksgiving season, for the love of family and friends, especially my wife, of whom I think every time I hear the words from the Alabama song “...Lord knows she’s not an angel, but she’d really like to be; she’s close enough to perfect for me ...”

I am grateful for art, in all its forms, which enriches and enhances our lives in so many ways, and which seems to move to the forefront at certain times of the year, including this time, via special music, drama, and graphic expressions.

I am grateful for the work I do and the belief that it is useful and should impact the world in a positive way. I think everyone should look at his job in this light; there are very many jobs where one has the chance to leave a positive impact, as long as the work is taken seriously.

I am grateful for sports, the games we play and the games we watch. I am grateful for the football which will be on our televisions this Thursday, but I am more grateful for the health and chance to play sports. This was another appreciation brought home by the Great Bout with the Unthinkable.

I am grateful for the outdoors and the beauty the Creator has given to us, and for the desire and opportunity to make that a part of my life. One of the secret realizations my grandson and I share is “Outside is better than inside.”

I am grateful for ladies and gentlemen, and the fact that in our part of the world, there are many of both, such behavior being the expected norm. What do I mean by that? Well, go live in a certain large Eastern city, which delicacy forbids me to name, and you will understand. (Never before had I been kicked in the shin for opening a door for a lady, as Dad had taught me ...)

Thanksgiving can be one of those glass half-empty, glass half-full experiences. No matter how blessed they are, some people will easily find something to fuss, moan and whine about. My prayer for you, my readers for whom I am also grateful, is that you will see your glasses half-full and more.

Clyde Davis is pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Portales and an instructor at Eastern New Mexico University. He can be contacted at:

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