Thankfulness

I once heard a discourse on gratitude that delved deeply into everyday items which I feel particularly apropos this season:

Take something simple like a paper napkin. 
might not think much of this object; they're literally a dime a dozen.  But look again.  Imagine what it took to bring this napkin to your table.  You probably bought it but someone at the market had to place it on the shelf.

Someone had to drive it 
from the where house to the store.  Many people designed and built the truck in which in came.  Thousands of parts had to be assembled right down to the smallest nut.  Those thousand parts had to be designed, and fabricated from materials mined from this earth by hundreds more.

The road on which the truck traveled had to be planned, and built from material which were made by hundreds more.

The napkin itself
is made from paper which was milled by many people.  Before it was paper it was a tree, living rooted deep in this earth, soaking up rain and sun.  Many people had to harvest that tree and load it onto the truck to to mill.  Someone had to plant the tree to start it all off.

All told there are thousands of people involved in that little insignificant napkin you place on your lap at dinner and will throw away.

Be thankful
to all of those people who chose that line of work on that particular day so that you can enjoy your meal tonight.

Happy Thanksgiving!