As the holiday season approaches, with both Summer and Fall in the rearview mirror,
my thoughts gravitate towards transitioning our patients from sandals to boots and
warm socks. I reflect on the year that is about to pass, I am very thankful for having the
strength to succeed in the face of adversity (3 surgeries) and all of the wonderful
memories I shared with my patients and my staff. I am grateful to be able to share the
holiday season with family and friends. But I am most grateful that I’m not the
Thanksgiving turkey.
I am neither a Vegetarian nor a Vegan. Despite being an animal lover and advocate I
confess that I have decades of wonderful memories that happened at my Thanksgiving
table. I can still smell my grandmother’s turkey dinner in my memory. Lots of great
stories and laughter happened at those dinners. As an adult, I can still see my kids
looking in wonder at the spread my wife Debbie and I prepared from “soup to nuts” as
they say. In the middle of all of this was the turkey- symbol of the Pilgrims and our
giving thanks for the bounty we were about to enjoy.
One Thanksgiving my family and I were guests at an all vegetarian Thanksgiving. I can
still see my son’s puzzled expression as vegetable after vegetable was loaded onto the
table. It was then that my son, with lips quivering, turned to me and asked, “Dad-
WHERE’S THE TURKEY?”
We have all made sacrifices in our lives- for a family member, friend or “for the greater
good”. It is with this altruistic thought that I now salute the turkey who every year gives
his/her all so we can rejoice and celebrate this wonderful holiday. Mr. Turkey- thanks
from me for taking one “for the team” and thanks for all the past Thanksgiving
memories and the ones yet to come.