Thankful to be giving thanks!

As I sit here, late at night in the firehouse, on the eve of Thanksgiving, I find myself so lucky to be as blessed as I am. Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks, a time to appreciate what we have. I know what I have. A beautiful wife who is understanding and encouraging, 4 great dogs, and family and friends who care for me no matter what. Then I see reality hit home.

Tomorrow morning, a friend of mine is running the Run to Feed the Hungry in Sacramento, from his wheel chair. The reason, he is dying of cancer. This year for Thanksgiving, he gets to enjoy his family, for the last time, and they all know it. I try to put myself in all of their places and I can't fathom what it would be like. Peet may not live until Christmas. Then again he may. Either way, I can't help the feeling I get thinking about the what if's.

It reminds me of when my brother died, May 3rd, 2003. Suddenly, tragically, unexpectedly. Jeff was 23. I didn't know it was coming, didn't get to say goodbye. In a way it was worse, in a way it was better. Everyday I wish to have 1 more conversation with him, but to know the end was coming is an unbearable thought.

So for this Thanksgiving, I hope all of you take in everything that's important and give thanks for what you have. Tell your loved ones how much they mean. And please, if you start fighting, just think how lucky you are to have someone you care so much about to fight with. Because not everyone is so lucky and not everyone will be around the next time. That's what I'm going to do.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, we'll talk Giants ball again in a few days.
Jim