I guess we all are touched by tragedy at one time or the other in our lives - What happened in New York is so very sad - I ache for the people effected - I am thankful for my children - all six of em'- my 2nd son Kenneth died 8 years ago on his 44th birthday - I am thankful I am his mother - He was in Viet Nam and suffered the after effects of that place. He was a wonderful son - I am thankful for my first born son Ryan, he too was in Viet Nam [black beret, river rats] - he was where they sprayed agent orange - today my son is dying of cancer - his body is full of tumors from that awful chemical they used over there- his liver is filled with the invader - I am thankful I was chosen to be his mother - altho my heart is breaking - I am thankful I have had him 54 years - WE don't know how long he has, it is moving thru out his body like a wild fire. Three weeks ago he was bailing hay for his cattle, today he is laying in bed, jaundice is taking over, he is starting to be disoriented - He said, "mom, I'm a strong person, and yet I am weak as a kitten" That was 2 weeks ago - I am thankful for my 2 daughters - and my other 2 sons - and my husband who is our main stay right now - We will be there for each other- I am thankful that my son Ryan has a wonderful wife and family that love and are there for him. This is a hard Thanksgiving - this year my tears just won't stop. Ryan wants me to write 'a mothers story' about him, re: Viet Nam, agent orange - and bring it up to date. I have contacted the proper people and they are helping me- get his story out. This is so wrong - I should not be loosing a vibrant man [I call him my cowboy]- nor should his wife be made a widow - I'm sorry but I see so much 'Happy Thanksgiving' sent to the list, and I just had to tell you how thankful I am for my children - Wilma Fleming Haynes [email protected] Hi cousins, The turkey has been on since 10:00 a.m. and I finished watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade over an hour ago ... The holidays have arrived! :) While I was watching the parade though, I gave quite a bit of thought to what I, or anyone in the U.S. right now, had to be thankful for. We're still healing and in recovery, but there MUST be something for us all to be happy about. What, though? 1. We're still free! The U.S. was attacked all right, but we weren't annihilated. Lady Liberty still stands. 2. Our flag still waves with pride and our eagle still soars in determined resolve! The U.S. was slapped but good; it's just too bad those who did this to us didn't realize just who they were messing with. They probably would have given second thought to their actions. You'd have thought history would have taught them, though. 3. Our country came together as ONE voice, one family, and the world joined us. 4. Most of us still have our inlife family and friends ~ our inlife support systems ~ our inlife reasons for being... 5. We still have each other! Some of us may still feel broken, we may be struggling for answers, we may still be filled with anguish, pain and/or anger ~ but we still have each other to turn to ... global cousins who have found each other and come together as the ancestral family that we are. 6. We still have our health ~ shaky though it may be for some of us, it's brought us all to today and each other. And there are 5 more things I'm thankful for, but they're more personal more to me... 7.) My husband and children - he's getting older and so are the kids. I think I'll keep them all. 8.) The love of my cherished husband, Bruno, and our five children. 9.) Brenda, my very bestest friend! She's the sister of my soul without whom I think more of my inlife "tragedies" would be much worse! 10.) Every day that I wake up; one day I won't. Can you add at least five of your own "personal thankfuls" where I've added mine? I hope so. I wish each of you a bountiful Thanksgiving filled with inner peace, love and joy! Colleen