Jim Valentine: Time to focus on thanks

We are best served if we are grateful and thankful every day. We are nearing the time of year when we focus on thanks as a nation. It is Thanksgiving time again, a time to give thanks. Life gives us a variety of circumstances to deal with as we pass our time on planet earth, some happier than others. As we chart our path and find it affected by external forces and events it is sometimes hard to be thankful. It is in such times that maybe we must dig deeper within or go further externally for a true assessment. Time to momentarily forget the immediate emotions and perceptions and focus on that which we have that is positive.

In Northern Nevada, we have much to be thankful for every day. We have the natural beauty of our environs, the pleasantness of our fellow Nevadans, whether we know them or not, and the many social and economic opportunities available to those that want them. Our four-season climate lets us enjoy many different past times as the seasons come and go.

Sometimes people take their best friends or family for granted. They are always there and always supportive. This is the time of year to recognize for yourself how thankful you are for their existence in and contribution to your life. You might consider letting them know that. Surely they will be thankful that you did.

In Northern Nevada, we can be thankful for having governmental bodies that care about us, not their own political fortune or corruptive gain. They want to improve our communities, our lives and to maintain it for the betterment of our children’s and grandchildren’s futures. It is all too common to read about a public official caught in a compromising and/or corrupt activity. Not so much in Northern Nevada.

The youth of our communities are respectful and practicing good social values. Sure, there are anomalies, but there are so many that get it for which I am thankful for and hopeful that their behavior will have a positive impact on their peers that don’t get it yet. We are all shaping a future that keeps Northern Nevada a wonderful place to live, raise our families and to contribute to our society and mankind. We can reach the world in a positive way from here while enjoying our daily life together.

Don’t always look for the huge thank-you experience as you take this time to focus. Be thankful for your wonderful pets ... even the troublesome ones that love you despite their quirks, your freedoms small and large, the opportunities of choice that you have, the heritage and culture of your family that has been passed along to you whatever it might be, the friendly smiles you see reflecting yours in Northern Nevada, indoor plumbing as winter approaches, and phones that are so smart they can connect us to anyone and anywhere we want to be connected with by audio, video, text or email ... amazing ... the next best thing to astral traveling.

Our advice: Be thankful for what you have and don’t dwell on what you don’t have. As long as you draw a breath of our fresh Northern Nevada air, you have something to be thankful for. The positivity of thankfulness will serve you much better than the bitterness of envy, greed, jealousy or regret. You can’t control the past, but you can be very thankful for the opportunity that you can design and enjoy your future. It will be what you make it. Make the best of it and remember to be gracious as you enjoy the fruits of your positive life.

Thank you very much friends, family, professional peers and the Northern Nevada communities at large for your overwhelming love and support this year. I am very thankful for your help. It was much needed and appreciated beyond the description of words. I am so thankful that I live where I do among all of you. When it comes to choosing professionals to assist you with your real estate needs … experience is priceless!

Jim Valentine, CDPE, SFR, RE/MAX Realty Affiliates, 775-781-3704, dpwtigers@hotmail.com, www.carsonvalleyland.com.