A Thanksgiving Day Message from the California Progress Report

From Frank D. Russo
Publisher and Founder
The California Progress Report

This is a day to spend with family and friends and a time to give thanks for many things, some of them very simple and mundane that we take for granted, and some that are quite profound.

It is also a time to think of those less fortunate and those in need, including those without family or friends to enjoy this day with. And a day to thank the many Californians who volunteer to help at the soup kitchens and in other ways to feed the hungry and help those stay warm when it is cold outside.

As our state heads into difficult times with a slowing economy, let's reflect on how in the past we have taken care of each other. History and observation tell us we are not perfect, and lord knows there are many areas we can point to where we have failed as a state and as a nation. Tough times bring out increases in bigotry and blame amongst some who are frightened. But it is also true, as I have been told many times by my parents about their formative years in the Great Depression, that difficult times have brought out the best in many in acts of civility and sharing.

So, with troops overseas and many problems in our communities, California, the nation, and the world, let us reflect on the words of Robert F. Kennedy: "All of us might wish at times that we lived in a more tranquil world, but we don't. And if our times are difficult and perplexing, so are they challenging and filled with opportunity."

We will take up that challenge again tomorrow on these pages.

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