Take stock of your blessings on Thanksgiving

The past year should remind all of us that life doesn’t exist in a vacuum.

And as 2014 turns the final corner and takes aim at a new year, Thanksgiving is perfectly situated as a time where we should all take a deep breath and enjoy the many blessings we all have.

The problem is … we don’t.

Instead of easing into a new year, it seems like everything goes into a hyper-frenetic overdrive for the next month. So little time, so much to do.

Sound familiar?

I want to take this time to point out just a few of the reasons I am grateful. I am sure you might recognize some and probably have many more to add.

• I am grateful to be alive and surrounded by a wonderful family as well as dynamic and inspirational friends and co-workers.

• I am grateful I know enough people to be sad when people die because I know how they impacted those around them.

On one hand, former Mayor Gretchen Hellar — who once dismissed my “Vote for me for mayor, come Hellar high water” campaign slogan with the grace and intelligence she handled everything with — stunned many of us with her sudden passing after losing a battle with cancer. A great mayor and an awesome human being.

On another hand, the officer-involved shooting death of Jeanetta Riley, while a tragedy on so many levels, made me thankful to live in a community that not only recognized her struggles but can discuss and protest shortcomings in how we treat the mentally ill.

Blessings come in all sizes and flavors, and if I had one Thanksgiving wish it would be for all of us to look around and take stock of the many blessings we have and to look around enough to enjoy who we have, what we have, when we have it.

To get you in the spirit of slowing down:

Please come join me at Sandpoint’s Town Square Friday at 5 p.m. as the high school select choir will perform and lead us in Christmas carols. Come help us light up the Christmas tree and welcome Santa at 6 p.m.

Happy Thanksgiving.

David Keyes is publisher of the Daily Bee.