Welcome to the 6th Annual Kerns Thanksgiving Missive.  For the past 5 years I have subjected my old work colleagues and friends to a missive about my personal reasons for being thankful, whether they wanted to hear it or not.  The annual missive is about why I am thankful for the opportunity to experience the love and friendship of the people who make up my life and to be able to take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves to us every day.   

For those who are new to this tradition, welcome, and to those who are veterans I hope you’re not yet tired of receiving my annual message of “thanks”……

What a year it has been; Giants win the Super Bowl, a daughter studying and working in Africa (which prompted a vacation to Kenya/Tanzania, including a safari in the Maasai Mara), another daughter graduating high school, the third traveling all over the planet, hottest summer in history, Yankees forget how to hit in October for the second straight year, Sandy, a November snow storm, and I develop a mysterious illness (being fixed). But as always, there is so much for which to be thankful.

When thinking of Thanksgiving I always try to pick a theme that seems to fit that particular year.  For some reason “relationships” seems to hit me this year. 

I’ve always been the type of person who takes relationships very seriously, whether they are familial, friendly, professional or simply casual (although I am somewhat challenged when it comes to "keeping in touch").  Like most people, I’ve been in a lot of relationships over the years.  Some have endured and some have waned, but I am thankful for each and every one of them.

These relationships have shaped me as a person.  From the impressionable early childhood years to those that are just now being created in my current midlife years (yes I still consider myself “midlife”).

So to each and every one to whom I have and have had a relationship, I give thanks.  Thank you for teaching me, supporting me, guiding me, infuriating me, cheering me, criticizing me, challenging me and for all of the ways you have affected my life.  Without these relationships I would not be the person I am today (for better or worse).

Of course the relationships I cherish the most are those that I have with Jeanmarie with whom I have shared my life for over 30 years and my three wonderful daughters.  Their love and wisdom continue to teach me, support me, guide me, infuriate me, cheer me, criticize me, challenge me and affect my life in so many ways.

Please have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving

Peace
Tom

(a.k.a. “TK”, “Hitman”, “Grandpa” and of course “tickles”-don’t ask)