November 26, 2009

The Lucky Ones

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Along the American River, the wild turkey that have been making a raucous comeback over the past few years have been conspicuously quiet this week.

They know.

While they're protected by local law, they must be thinking about their relatives, who haven't been so lucky, and who will be served up on our tables today in celebration of our prosperity and good fortune.

It's easy to forget the role fortune can play in prosperity. If things have worked out well for us in life, we tend to think we've been justly rewarded for our years of hard work. For many, though, lives of hard work have led only to more hard work, and to uncertain futures.

For my wife and I, our boat has become a reminder of just how lucky we have been. Sailing on San Francisco Bay, we often think about how most people will never have the chance to do that, or even to enjoy many of the other comforts we take for granted.

More than candied yams, stuffing, and cranberry sauce, today should remind us of all the empty plates there are in the world.

If you have a boat, be thankful. Sail it as often as you can.

But is there someone without a boat you could ask to go sailing?

And are there other empty plates out there you might help to fill?

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8 comments:

  1. O Docker, to be honest this is not the most brilliant post I've ever read, but it is one of the most brilliant post about candied yams that I've ever read. How do you do it?

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  2. It's a great post ODocker, candied yams or no candied yams.

    An important reminder especially these days.

    Take nothing for granted, there but for the grace of whatever you believe in go I

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  3. Amen. Yes, lucky us! Happy Thanksgiving, great apologies to all great nations trampled and decimated away. Sorry, Earth, we'll do you right.
    We shall spare fowl that came close to being our national symbol: after Gloucester, we are doing lobster. You make me want to release a few into the harbor, but I bet there's a law against it.
    Thank you, to you all. Enjoy family time, enjoy sailing!!!

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  4. I yam always looking for new topics here on O Dock.

    The meat of the matter can be light or dark, but I'll never mince words.

    On any issue, I might take one cider another.

    I cranberry my thoughts deep within, or choose to discuss them openly.

    I may tap my drumsticks lightly on the snare, or pound heavy on the Tom.

    Sometimes, I take chances. I may jump in over my head. My boat may take on water, leaking heavily at the stuffing.

    But a good pumpkin pie valuable time, and get me safely home again.

    I've been called everything, from soup to nuts.

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  5. Nuts, did you say?

    I have a similar feeling about travelling. Its great but also brings home how lucky most of us are to live in London.

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  6. Save a turkey, save the world!

    excellent post!

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  7. But wouldn't the world be a better place if more voters didn't re-elect some of the turkeys now in political office?

    Still, I think bowsprite's thought of throwing a few of them into the harbor is a bit harsh.

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