Editorial: Let's start by being thankful for the weather

It's been a beautiful autumn - a touch of snow in the Sierra Nevada so ski resorts can open, but dry pavement all around. For those traveling the highways this Thanksgiving holiday or negotiating the airport, at least you don't have to worry about getting there.

Let's be thankful for family and friends - the people around us helping to celebrate, as well as those far away who will be in our thoughts. It's a good day to invite someone into your home to share a meal.

Let's be thankful for the generosity in our community. The holiday season, starting before Thanksgiving, generates an outpouring of charity, donations and volunteerism that carries many organizations through a good part of the year.

We see children helping seniors, seniors helping children, and all ages in between chipping in to collect food, put together fruit baskets, bake pies, cook turkeys, raise money, donate gifts, and give their valuable time so that less fortunate people may have at least one better day.

Let's be thankful for our health. For some, this may not be so easy. For the rest of us, who do enjoy good health, it is a day to visit nursing homes, hospitals and shut-ins so that those who are suffering may share an hour or two of our time and be assured they are not forgotten.

Let's be thankful for our children. They remind us where we're going.

Let's be thankful for our parents and grandparents. They remind us where we've been.