Greetings:

In 1971, I was a soldier in the 101st Airborne at Camp eagle, Viet Nam, and I went on R&R to Sydney, Australia.

As the chartered Pan Am aircraft was in flight, I mentioned to one of the other soldiers that I was looking forward to having a Thanksgiving feast in Australia.

That's when he reminded me that Thanksgiving was an AMERICAN holiday, not observed in Australia, so there'd be no Thanksgiving feast.

When we landed, following the counsel of LDS Church leaders, I contacted the local LDS officials, who arranged for me to stay with an LDS family, rather than going to a hotel.

It was also arranged for me to have Thanksgiving dinner at the home of an American family living in Sydney, along with a couple of the full-time LDS missionaries who were there from America.

Ever since then, I've realized how very unique our country and our heritage is, and Thanksgiving Day will always be a particularly patriotic time for me, a day for dressing up and appropriately wearing military decorations.

Thank you.

John Robert Mallernee
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

So often our gratitude is focused on God, as well as it should be. But we often find ourselves being ungrateful to those about us.

Sometimes we thank others automaticaly, out of habit, and although our words convey thanksgiving, our tones of voice are flat and emotionless and empty.

I need to be more thankful for all God has given us. I also need to focus more on expressing my gratitude to others in a way which truly emotes love. Not just in words, but in deeds.

I only have one small problem with Thanksgiving - I don't like Turkey ver much. Sigh!!!

In Hawaii, things are often different. Other Cultures some times politely ignore us and do their own thing, which is some times nothing.

The usual happens the Salvation Army and other Organizations have a huge feed. They have a huge feed in Downtown Honolulu. A lot of people live alone on fixed incomes. A lot of people are the type of people who are going to lose their TV Reception when Hawaii goes Digital unless they use the Government Supplied Coupon and get the converter box.

A lot of People just go out to Eat. Some get Turkey Plate Lunch.

We have several Asian and Hawaiian Items on our menu now, and Not just Pineapple. I have also developed a taste for squid and as long as I don't Salt it I can eat as much as I want.

This year my Foster Kids are going to be with their Aunt and Grandma. The Wife is working, so I am going to do Banquet Turkey Slices in Gravy. Shrimp, Squid, Homemade Mashed Potatoes, Bagged Salad, Mac Nut Ice Cream. Other stuff also.

Wal-Mart is Closed and K Mart is open. But I am not going to K Mart ever.

I hope our economy turns around next year. This same article may be describing Thanksgiving as soup lines and massive unemployment. God help us.

Yeah, not much to be grateful for financially this year. Personal bankruptcy looms for me. And I figure many are in a similar boat. I have hope for next year though. Hope is all we do have.

No matter the economy or life situation...

an "attitude of gratitude" is the best gift we can give, and the most admirable characteristic one can possess.