Peace and joy for all
At 83, I am thankful for life and health. I am thankful for my grandson's complete healing from leukemia. I am thankful for the love of family and friends. I am thankful for the genuine kindness of many who help others.
Gratitude for each day and the opportunity to live as best I can. Prayer for everyone everywhere in need of God's love and care. Sincere thanks to all those who unselfishly responded to disasters, tragedies and great injustice.
I wish peace and joy on Thanksgiving Day to all, and especially to those who serve night and day to keep us safe.
ANITA C. GATZKE
Little Rock
Forgiveness' freedom
I am now 65 years old. This time of year I, and probably most of us, become very nostalgic. It is a time of year I reflect on memories. Memories of the events of my life and the people who have come and gone, or remained part of it.
I am thankful for the love and support of my family, though there were times I didn't deserve it. I am thankful for the opportunity my country afforded me to obtain an education. I am thankful for those I served with in the armed forces. I am thankful for being blessed with a long career with a single company and the friendships and relationships built over almost 35 years. Some crippled or destroyed by my failures.
I am not proud of the first half of my life, though by the world's standards it measures up well.
That brings me to what I am most thankful for. I received a free gift almost 25 years ago. It is a gift available to anyone. It is the free gift of salvation. I gave my heart and my life to Christ and began my new life. It would be great to say my new life has been perfect. But I fail most every day. We are all helpless sinners, Christian or not.
But I know as surely as I know the sun will rise tomorrow I am forgiven. My prayer is all will come to know the freedom of this forgiveness. Happy Thanksgiving!
MICHAEL SANDERS
Little Rock
A Rockwell memory
It is 1934, and Father, Mother and I reached New York City escaping what had become Nazi Germany. Dad took crash courses to learn English so he could get a job as a teacher.
Mom and I learned cold turkey, she through the patience of neighbors and shopkeepers. In those days you had to ask for what you wanted instead of laying it down at the checkout line. Me, they put me out to play with local kids. It was sink or swim.
When my parents passed away, my wife and I traveled to New York to sell the house and sort out their belongings. My mother had begun to save what was then the Saturday Evening Post because she loved the covers. There was a large pile of them.
There was one copy she admired the most. It was a Norman Rockwell painting showing a large seated family at a table to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner. The mother is about to set on the table a large cooked turkey. It looked as wonderful as only Norman Rockwell could paint it.
I remember my mother saying, "Das ist ja Amerika." This is certainly America.
ALFRED KAHLER
Little Rock
Make life meaningful
So many things to be thankful for; so little space to list them.
I'm thankful for God's undeserved grace that undergirds everything; for my husband of 54 years; for my children and grandchildren, not one of whom has been in jail, hooked on drugs, or done anything else that would ruin their lives and break my heart--quite the contrary!
I'm thankful to live in the U.S., where I can still without repercussion criticize the government.
I'm thankful for nonprofits such as Heifer International and Nature Conservancy that are working to make the world a better place.
I'm thankful for my church family and other friends, who help make my life meaningful in so many ways.
And, finally, I'm thankful for health and home, for love and laughter.
RENEE HUNTER
Conway
Life's a precious thing
I am thankful for life, Jesus, forgiveness, family, the USA, nature, good health and mind, our home, church, friends, sports, the Bible, other books, art, beauty and music. Life is so precious, for without it there could be no consciousness or meaning. With God in my life, life has purpose: to love God and man. Forgiveness comes after repentance. That allows me to continue the pursuit of wisdom.
Living in the USA has allowed me to pursue and realize many of my dreams.
I encourage everyone to pause and reflect on their many blessings this Thanksgiving.
CHARLES JANZEN
Bella Vista
What makes U.S. great
This week, I'm thankful that, despite evidence to the contrary, deep down Americans hold many similar values. These are values our immigrant ancestors brought to these shores to build their dreams in America.
Thanks to people who were willing to sacrifice everything they knew to build something from nothing, we're a country of innovative thinkers and problem-solvers. We're risk-takers and entrepreneurs, freedom-seekers and dream achievers.
These are the values I see today when I get to know young immigrants brought to America as children from Mexico and Guatemala. These young people aren't waiting for someone to fix their problems, they're taking on second jobs to pay their way through college. They seek the freedom to live freely and contribute to their communities. They've got business plans for matching aspiring workers with jobs, dreams of becoming doctors, big ideas about public service.
It feels like our country is gripped by a culture clash of values right now--but we're so much alike in what it means to be an American. Just like these new generations of young immigrants are so much like our forefathers: They dream of a better life than their parents had, and they're willing to sacrifice more than I ever have to make it happen. It's been a long time since my ancestors immigrated, so long that complacency has become habit.
Thank goodness these young Dreamers are here to reinvigorate the values our country was founded with. We need them here to prod us from complacency. We can help them by calling our representatives and senators and urging Congress to pass the DREAM Act by Dec. 8, giving immigrant Dreamers legal status to live and work where they've grown up. We can help ourselves by embracing their risk-taking, entrepreneurial, can-do spirit. That spirit is what's made America great all along.
LORIEE EVANS
Little Rock
Hope for the future
I recently attended a Veterans Day memorial service held on the lawn of the county courthouse in Heber Springs. It was a beautiful, cool fall afternoon. Full-size flags flapped in the breeze, family members and friends attending the individual flags that listed the names of their loved ones who have served. Children of all ages mingled among the elderly veterans and senior citizens. Also attending were members of the local Boy and Girl Scout troops, along with their troop leaders.
After the final note of Taps, the scouts assembled in pairs to remove and respectfully fold each flag. Upon handing us our flag, they voiced what an honor it was to be there and thanked us for our family members' service. Their pride in performing this duty was genuine and heartwarming.
This Thanksgiving, my gratitude goes out to many. Thank you, parents, grandparents, scout leaders, teachers, volunteers, and others too numerous to list. Without your hard work, good example and dedication, it would be impossible to keep history's lessons alive and relevant for generations to come. You are teaching selflessness, compassion, and the satisfaction that comes from serving and helping others. The importance of a simple yet heartfelt "thank you" is immeasurable. Thanks to you, there is hope for the future.
DENISE PERRYMORE
Little Rock
Editorial on 11/23/2017