Thanksgiving is an excellent day to acknowledge and be grateful for the family values by which my generation was raised.  The gifts of our cherished yesterdays brought us to who we are today.   The morals and traditions woven through the tapestry of our youth were presented with loving hearts, strong parental convictions, focused "can do" attitudes, and consistencies specific to that time in our country's history.

Many gifts have been bestowed upon the women of my generation.  We have much to be grateful for, and a legion of heroines to thank.   Many women have gone before us blazing trails through the worlds of business, sports, science, performing arts, fashion, medicine, journalism, education, literature, politics, economics, religion and more.  They tore down the
walls of sexism and racism one brick at a time with their bare hands to achieve their goals.  We bask in the aftermath of their sacrifices, and in the radiance of their triumphs.   Personally I bow to each of them.  Their accomplishments are truly responsible for the successes we all share as women today.  Take a breath, ponder that, and say "amen" and "thank you" ladies.

So, here we stand today in 2007 with all these freedoms and choices.  We can be what ever we want to be when we want to be.  But, do we try to do too much?  Are we trying to pack too many options into our lives?  Do we try to wear too many hats, the trousers, and the push-up bras all at the same time? 

In the rush of life, are we trying to take advantage of so many opportunities that we're losing sight of the values of our youth?  Are the truly important things in life slipping through our fingers?  Have some of us perhaps created a sense of self-importance to feed our egos, and our need to be needed?  Or, have we just simply gotten caught up in the whirlwind life style of today's electronically fast paced society.

In this hurried atmosphere we live in, "what will you really be bringing to this year's Thanksgiving table?"   Will you be so engrossed in preparing the perfect supper table and special feast that you lose sight of the opportunity for togetherness this Holiday affords?  Will you be an observer on the sidelines of life spending too much time capturing "Kodak moments" on film?   Or, will you be an active participant in the day's photo ops?

Where will your freedom of choice take you this Holiday season?

Will you need to do it all?  Or, will you order bakery pies, and let a guest bring a dish to share.

Will you give yourself the gift of a day lived to its fullest, to hold in  your tomorrow as a cherished yesterday.