I've often heard that "Christmas is for the kids." In many ways, that is true. I don't have kids or grandkids, but I hear all the stories from people at work, and I remember what it was like. Christmas is a great excuse to give them things that will move them along the path to where they need or want to be. That may be a new scope, or an iPhone or whatever. Or, it may be something totally gratuitous that will just make them happy and show them that you care.
Thanksgiving is the perfect time to start the reflection that leads to a deeper appreciation of the Christmas story and the Christmas season. I am thankful to be sitting here in a new house that will hopefully take me well into old age, with a deer in the freezer that I shot from my little cabin out back (and some of the sausage in my belly) and a big screen TV to watch the Macy's parade.
I realize that I'm sitting here due to a lot of luck and the grace of God. My nephew came for a visit recently with his wife and daughter. He grew up here, and coming at the most beautiful season in New England, he wanted to move back to NH and live like us. I had to explain that making your way here can be tough and that my career path was not planned, I was often just in the right place at the right time and took advantage of it. That's the only part I can take any credit for. He doesn't have a lot of career credentials, so I counseled him to proceed cautiously and watch for the breaks in life.
I see the people I shoot with growing older and toning back their activities or dropping out due to health issues, burnout or lack of energy. Myself, I have two artificial hips, two massively torn shoulders, a bad knee and bursitis here and there. That, and skin cancer has driven me from "across the course" service rifle events, but I can still shoot benchrest, trap, skeet and indoor rimfire. That's more than anyone can ask for at the door of old age.
When you think about it, just the fact that we have enough air to breathe, water to drink and food to eat, every day, is a miracle from God. Anybody that thinks that all this life is due to a confluence of random events over millennia has their head so far up their butt I'm surprised they can breathe.
