What did you do for Thanksgiving?

What did you do for Thanksgiving?

By: Richard Thompson
11/24/2006

I just can't keep up with my e-mail anymore. This is one of those many times when Jo justifiably asks, "Well, whose fault is that? Who asked for it?"

She's right. Half of my 50 some e-mails a day are sent at my request, like the ones from Jim Cramer. He's the crazy-acting but not-so-crazy stock market guru (Mad Money, CNBC).
I avoided the stock market like the plague until I was 71 years old. Then, on June 26, 2005, I set out to learn enough about the stock market to make as much money every month as I could make sacking groceries. I figured that's the only job I could get at my age. You certainly don't want me to go back to medical practice. Some doctors can practice fine even into their 80s, but those are doctors who can still see, hear and walk reasonably fast.

The other half of my e-mail messages, though, connect me with a variety of friends around the world. I understand why a lot of people are technophobes, because computers can be frustrating. However, a person who has not discovered the joys of keeping in close touch with sons and daughters by e-mail and having the world's largest library on his or her desk at home is arguably overlooking a lot of opportunities. The Internet isn't virtual cyberspace anymore. The Internet is real world; it is where I live a lot of my life and a lot of my friends do, too. I just signed up to teach medical ethics online for Drury. With my obligations I couldn't possibly agree to meet a class at a certain place at a certain time three times a week. Brave new world, indeed.

One friend wrote: "Do you and Jo have any plans for Thanksgiving?"

Answering this one made me focus on some things ... bring them to a conscious level.

Yes, we had plans for Thanksgiving. Thursday is hemodialysis day, Thanksgiving or not. The only day the unit is closed is Christmas day. That doesn't affect us this year.

Yes, we had plans. After dialysis we had Thanksgiving dinner at Steak and Ale. No family came. ... They have families of their own, you know. ... But all three will be here (not at the same time) around Christmas.

You might think Jo and I had little or nothing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Actually, Jo and I are having some of the richest days of our marriage. (We love telling people, "We've been married for 37 wonderful, wonderful years, and we don't think 37 out of 51 is doing half bad.")

The key is understanding that the definition of "good, rich life" changes as one travels life's highways. This change is beyond your control. So stop trying to control change and enjoy whatever stage of life you are in right now. Adjust your expectations. Live so that at the end of every day you can say, "In one way or another, this was the happiest day of my life." And if you're married, tell your spouse, "I just felt the warmth of true love for you." Do it now. You never know when there may not be another Thanksgiving.

Now, back to the e-mail. Delete, delete, delete, delete. ...

Former Polk countian Richard Thompson, M.D., is a free-lance writer and editor in Springfield. He is the author of articles and books in the health care field.
original story: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1815&dept_id=516616&newsid=17502776&PAG=461&rfi=9
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~Karol