Next week is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. I've always thought it appropriate that countries designate a specific day to remember and count our blessings. With so much emphasis in the news placed on the bad things happening all around us, we need to change our focus to the GOOD things happening around us. And, there are so many good things happening that there is not space in this newsletter to list them all. But here are some of the things I have on my list this year:

I am especially thankful for all the new broadcasters and journalists who have come into my path this year. I have met wonderful people in Australia, Malta, Amsterdam, Canada, and many states in the U.S.,who are all involved in serving their communities through the airwaves and print. I am honored to help them in their quest to increase revenue to keep their businesses healthy so that they may continue to serve their communities. This year's catastrophic weather has provided new examples of how broadcasters put disseminating life-saving information to their communities over personal safely.  I salute them!

 I could not fly around the globe without the support and encouragement from my husband, cousins and my close friends. They keep the home fires burning and welcome me home after each journey. 

I am also thankful for my IT guy, Kelly, who exhibits infinite patience with my technical skills. He's available 24-7 to bail me out of problems. And, depending on what time zone I'm in, I do reach out to him at all hours. 

 Last summer, I lost a dear friend to a car accident. Someone carelessly ran a red light and killed her. I grieved, am still doing so, but am so thankful that she was in my life since 6th grade. Together we celebrated marriages, births, deaths, holidays. I will miss her at my Thanksgiving table this year. But, I am thankful that we fought over the turkey wing at last year's table. And, it brought into focus that EACH day, EACH occasion is important.We must stop in our busy pace of life and pause to celebrate, enjoy and give thanks for each other, for life, for health, for all the opportunities we have in our lives. I am truly blessed.

I hope that you and your families and friends will share a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. I intend to burn the turkey once more, serve lumpy dressing and enjoy the day in spite of mediocre food. Or, perhaps I should just have dinner catered in to guarantee the health of my guests. That sounds like a plan......