If you have the time between meals and naps to read today, some thoughts on why all of us in the Press Pros market have more to be thankful for than we can appreciate, or even express!
Every night when we go to post with the latest content on Press Pros we do so with the day’s headlines in our ear. You can’t help it…because you hear it all day long.
Horrific disasters, like the shootings in Las Vegas…or the church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. It’s the endless, draining, discouraging network drama of the unthinkable, and blame…too many guns, too much police, not enough police, or the wrong type of police.
It’s Donald Trump, and the never-ending dissent over how many tweets and how much golf he plays.
It’s Nancy Pelosi telling us…”We could do better.” But that’s hollow, because when she and her own constituency had the chance, they didn’t…even in Pelosi’s own state? Ask the family of Kate Steinle.
Even the sports that we cover is not exempt. Who among you isn’t tired of the rhetoric of athletes not respecting the national anthem – of the implied selfish disregard for servicemen and women lost who’ve defended every freedom we “share” (and I mean…we ALL share), regardless of some eventual social consequence. Look, as bad as you think this country treats some over others…it’s still better than a whole list of others you could list.
It simply wears you out!
But look, this is Thanksgiving day… and weekend. And personally, I’m very thankful to live in an area where these issues don’t exist. They don’t exist, by the way, for a number of reasons, but the biggest reason of all is we all live in a community of reasonable people. It doesn’t matter whether you root for Versailles, Marion Local, Troy, Piqua, Lehman, or “Hooterville”…at times of highest drama and need for mutual respect we never fail each other.
I’ll admit, I have a lot to be thankful for, as a citizen, a parent, a husband, and businessman.
I work with a matchless staff of people who “get it”…every day. They understand the challenge of what we do at Press Pros. They’re patient, and willing, to lay the foundation, one day at a time.
We have a growing market of loyal readers.
We’re fortunate to bring joy to people, who in turn share their own personal enjoyment with the content of our site through social media…all over the world.
Most of all, we’re fortunate to meet wonderful people every time we walk in a gym or a football field…all the kind words, encouragement, suggestions, and introductions to new relationships.
We’re particularly thankful for our schools, and the athletic coaches and administration who understand the value of competition, and the need to teach life lessons through the experience of interscholastic sports. And increasingly, the value of marketing their kids and their brand to the next step in life, collegiate and professional. At the head of this list…the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
We are thankful to work with those who understand that we’re not always going to agree, but agree anyway to disagree in a respectful manner.
And to that end, how nice is it to live in a community, or culture, that appreciates authority for the sake of those people who protect that which allows us to rest assured…every waking (and sleeping) minute of our day?
I want to make this short, because you all have better things to do today than read. But I, Hal McCoy, Joe Neves, Greg Hoard, Julie McMaken Wright, Stan Wilker, Tim Boeckman, Greg Billing, Doug Harris, and Jim Morris…along with our sponsors…are thankful for this daily opportunity. We’re thankful for your inviting us into your lives, your schools, and your homes. And, we’re thankful for the opportunity afforded by all the above relationships to give something back.
For you see, in the end the greatest thing we have to be thankful for…is each other.
Please appreciate…that it’s not like this everywhere!
What it looks like back on this Thanksgiving in my boyhood home of Lawrence County, Ohio…a blessing for the day.
Thankful?...A reminder that while we all have our issues (as in this cartoon), the mere fact that we're here to address them and live on is reason enough to give thanks. (Press Pros File Photo)