Thankful

 Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States, where I live.

I'm thankful this year for so many things in the aftermath of a natural disaster that hit the area where I live in September.  (me, among thousands of others....)

I am thankful that I have a home with heat, a home with electricity and hot water, a home that now has a brand new living room floor.

I am thankful that I rose today to a sunny sky here in upstate NY, and the promise of a mild day after a couple of seasonal, brrr days.

I am thankful that the businesses, large and small, continue to reopen.  Each reopening is another sign of recovery.


Sunday, I noticed that the Vestal Recreation Department had moved from its temporary quarters on the Vestal Rail Trail in the restored Rounds Coal House (photo above) back to its normal location.   Last week, Toys R Us in Johnson City reopened.  Yesterday, Home Depot in my neighborhood reopened.

A local restaurant shows signs of life, and each day more progress is made.  The closing of the large BAE plant (and the moving of 1300 jobs) near my home will impact all the neighborhood small businesses tremendously, I fear, but they are trying to make a comeback nevertheless.  Bless the small businesses and those who have poured time and love into their reopening efforts.

More businesses are returning to this plaza near our home.  One, Unicorn Electronics, had been operating out of a trailer.  Since this picture was taken they are back in their building.  Not too much stock yet, but we went there on Saturday and told them how happy we were that they were back.  Unicorn did a lot to nurture my son's interest in computers and electronics.  Only a local small business will do that!  The manager smiled and asked us how we had weathered the flood.  The story of the owner's personal struggle.after an accident is a true inspiration.  Those stories are all around us too.  I am grateful for neighbors like these.

The temporary Unicorn trailer (shown in the above picture from late October) is gone but the flowerpot they used to decorate the outside is still there in the parking lot - a reminder.

Recovery is hard and ongoing.  But today, we will pause and we will give thanks.