Hoots, Howls, and Hollers 11/22/2010

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, like many of the rest of you I have been thinking about all of the things that I am thankful for…and there are many. How about I tell you what some of them are?

I am thankful for all of the things that most of you are…the obvious things like family and friends, my pets, my health and the health of others. I am thankful that I live in a free country. I am thankful for the many experiences, some good and some maybe not so good, that have made me who I am.

But there are other things, relative to my work with Liberty Wildlife and my own preferences that might not be so similar. I am so grateful for the staff and volunteers at Liberty also for the obvious reasons…they make the place what it is. I am forever thankful for the donors and supporters of our mission…they make it possible for us to do what we do. I am thankful for the opportunities that I have had to interact with some of the most charismatic creatures on the planet and with those that might seem “everyday” but are unique and spectacular in their own ways. They make our everyday enriched.

Gratitude goes to living in a place that is so beautiful and friendly to interacting with nature (although summer sometimes stretches this notion). Consider one beautiful vista after another, one memorable sunrise or sunset following another, one exciting outdoor adventure topped by another.

I am thankful for curiosity that is renewed daily, for moments of joy given and received, for well-written prose, for millions of good memories, for your trust in what we do, and particularly for the loyalty of the readers of both Hoots, Howls, and Hollers and This Week at Liberty.

And lastly, I am thankful for all of the things that I will undoubtedly think of as soon as I post this blog. Know that there are more things to be thankful for than not.

With that in mind I wish all of you a fulfilling Thanksgiving Day with time for each of you to tally up all of the things that you are thankful for. I hope we are one of them!