Thanksgiving 2020

Political theater aside, which I won’t sully this Thanksgiving note with, this year has certainly been one of tremendous challenges and tragedy, but also a very human one, full of promise. It hides in the cracks at times, it sits behind the clouds. It peaks out once you realize that we, in this country, even on our personal downswings, live a life of providence - and we can do much better when we think of our fellow person as a collaborator, a fellow traveler, not a competitor or enemy.

~~~

I’m fortunate in so many ways. I owe so much to my parents and Grandparents who struggled and showed me how to navigate this complex world.

I’m thankful for my wife, Jennifer, a true and lovely thinker, her companionship and tolerance for my guitar/music and tech addictions. I’m thankful for my beautiful kid, who is such a compassionate soul. To my other family members - cousins, Aunts and Uncles, near and far, now and in the past. 

And to my adopted fuzzy kids, who are a daily joy.

I’m grateful to my friends, with whom I share pieces of life - I’m a better and happier person for you and hope I contribute to your life in a similar way. 

I love all of you above in ways you know and ways you don’t, even when we are at odds, even when you’re gone. You have made and make my life worthwhile.

I thank my teachers both in school and musically. You helped me develop tools - music and writing being the platforms from which I understood I could actually think and synthesize - without which I would truly be lost. 

I’m thankful to be employed, in a job that can be done from my home. I’m thankful for my staff who are courageous, thoughtful and so very capable. I’m thankful for my coworkers, who have displayed such resilience. I’m thankful for my manager, who is mindful, collaborative and honest. 

I owe a debt to those who were negative examples for me too - who showed me who I don’t want to be. I wish you the ability to come back from your missteps and lead a life that contributes back to humanity in a more positive way - a joyful one if possible. And if not, that should there be an afterlife, you find that there.

On this day of thanks - and all year, my thanks and a wish to humanity: find a way to be good to each other. Love is all there is that is worthwhile. Everything else is distraction and noise at best.  

- Toby

~In Remembrance~

2020 will go down as a horrible year for the human race, in that we lost 262,000 souls in this country by today, Thanksgiving day in the US and 1.42 Million across the globe in the last year, mostly in the last 9 months, due to the Corona 19 virus. In contrast, 210,000 casualties from the dropping of bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Another 510,000 from the aftermath. Corona has killed more than double, just so far. We can do so much better.