Many of you may be reading the Tate Record, and my column, for the first time this week, don’t worry. You didn’t get the paper by mistake.
See, we decided to celebrate Thanksgiving this year by showing each and every Tate County resident how thankful we are for you, so we mailed out a copy of this edition to every single mailbox in Tate County. Just in case anyone was wondering the total was over 11,600 mailboxes. Now bear in mind, it’s not the total population, just the mailboxes (including Post Office Boxes).
We wanted to reach out on this special week, to give readers a chance to see local businesses right here in Tate County saying their own Thanksgiving messages for our residents’ continued support.
Additionally, you’ll find throughout the pages, numerous stories and articles featuring people or events happening right here in Tate. Now as this edition of the paper finds its way into the various homes within the county, I’d be willing to bet those homes are celebrating Thanksgiving in many different ways.
For some, the day will begin with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade broadcasting on the television. For others, football will be the priority. Some homes will insist a pumpkin pie is the star of the dinner. Other’s will argue the pecan pie, fresh buttery-bread, or golden-glazed turkey is the best part. There will be differing opinions on whether homemade cornbread dressing or Stouffer’s stuffing is the best side dish.
Some of the homes will be brimming with family members who traveled from all over the state or country to enjoy the day reminiscing and catching up on new happenings. Other homes may only have a solitary occupant.
Some families will feature traditional fall decorations while others will celebrate the day with a Christmas Tree already glowing in the background. Some homes will be done with Christmas shopping, while others head to bed early in order to rise in the wee hours of the following morning to brave the crowds for Black Friday deals.
Some homes will have first responders, hospital staff, or emergency personnel missing from their dinner tables because they were called to work a shift. Other homes will be cleaner than they’ve been in months because the occupants finally earned a full week away from work to stay home and catch up on chores.
No matter how this paper finds you or the traditions your family celebrates this day, just know I sincerely hope and pray this Thanksgiving gives a reason to smile. Times have certainly been tough lately. From the pandemic to epic inflation rates, our people have been hit hard by life.
Everyone’s experiences have been different, but there has been a common thread that no one has escaped life’s hardships unscathed.
So I hope this holiday season brings joy to your heart. Tate County really is a special place to call home. While I say that with only two years under my belt as being a resident here, I still maintain that few places compare. Our little county still has the small town, slower way of life, but our leaders are working to maintain that lifestyle while balancing and bringing in new and innovative ways of staying current in the economy.
As for me, I plan on trying my best to stay under my calorie limit for the day but have a sneaking feeling the pecan pie is going to push me well over my daily limit. I’m thankful for it though. And I’ll be thankful the gym will be open Friday morning.
But especially, this year, I am thankful for you. Our readers. Our supporters and even our biggest critics. We are all people of Tate County, and I’m thankful to God we all get to call this place home.
