Thanksgiving Day should remind us that our glass is half-full and not half-empty. We should express and feel an attitude of gratitude. We should think thanksgiving every day. Problems arise for some of us whose level of expectations are so high that their concept either is they are certain they are owed much, or, their own expectations for themselves are so high that it is not possible to be thankful.
Good mental health starts with thankfulness and an attitude of gratitude. Little should be owed to us, save for common courtesy and respect.
• Perhaps the person who was captured in Aurora November 7 with an arsenal of firearms, illegal drugs, necklaces, rings, 36 loose diamonds, and drug paraphernalia, did not have an attitude of gratitude. At age 23 his desire for short cuts to wealth, provided for a short-circuit path to jail and 13 felony charges. See facebook.com/thevoice.us.
• With the holidays here we receive a barrage of information of about charitable giving. Most prominent is the promotion for Giving-Tuesday (Nov. 27) which follows retail emphasis of Black Friday, Small Saturday, and Cyber Monday. Those promotions lead into the long build-up to Christmas and other holidays in December which generate income for businesses, large and small.
• The Naperville Park District will hold its eighth annual holiday lights recycling program in partnership with Elgin Recycling. The non-working holiday lights can be brought to the Naperville Park District locations: Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center, 305 W. Jackson Avenue; Fort Hill Activity Center, 20 Fort Hill Drive; Knoch Knolls Nature Center, 320 Knoch Knolls Road; Springbrook Golf Course Golf shop, 2220 W. 83rd Street. Those interested should contact the Naperville Park District for hours and information. The goal is to keep 100,000 pounds of lights out of the landfill.
• Click here to see our Events page for a listing of various communities’ tree-lighting ceremonies and special occasions, a fun part of the build-up to the holidays. We will hear many say, remember when…. Soon will be the Lehnertz Lights in Aurora, a neighborhood group which has a Christmas holiday theme for driving pleasure. The Festival of Lights, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Aurora, will be open every day in Phillips Park from Friday through December 26.