AS I SEE IT
By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor
No doubt by now everyone has their Thanksgiving plans well in place. Maybe you are going to be with friends or relatives for the big Thanksgiving feast. Or maybe this year, you are having family and friends over. Whatever you are doing this Thanksgiving, I hope that you will reflect on all that we have to be thankful for here in McKenzie County.
While most of the United States is struggling with a poor economy, high unemployment, a struggling housing market and the lack of jobs, none of those problems are here.
Yes, we have our problems in McKenzie County. But our problems really do pale in comparison to what we see elsewhere in the United States and around the world.
While we may be wondering where we are going to eat on Thanksgiving Day and how we can possibly cram another morsel of food into our mouth, somewhere there are people in the world who are wondering if they will find any food to feed themselves and their families.
While we worry about the struggles of our leaders in Congress on finding a solution to this country’s economic woes, and what impact their inability to bring our nation’s financial house in order has on everyone, there are many in this country and in the world that have no finances to worry about. They don’t have time to be worried about tomorrow; they are just trying to live another day.
While we may worry about the cost of buying clothing, food, homes and automobiles or paying for our children’s college expenses, there are people who are wearing rags, living in cardboard boxes and who will never own any form of transportation or ever dream of a college education.
America, in spite of its problems, is truly a blessed country. And equally blessed are those of us that live in this land of freedom and abundance, for there are millions of people that will never have a fraction of what we have.
So this Thanksgiving as you sit down to enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner, be thankful for what you have. But remember that Thanksgiving is a time for sharing.
CELEBRATE WATFORD CITY’S HOLIDAY KICKOFF THIS FRIDAY!
Ready or not, the Christmas season is just around the corner. And Watford City will be kicking off the start of the holiday season in a grand way this Friday with its annual Parade of Lights, which will be making its way down Main Street at 6:30 p.m. Over the years, Watford City merchants, the Chamber of Commerce, and a host of other special groups have done a great job of sponsoring special events in the community throughout the holiday season, but one of my favorites has to be the way our community kicks off Christmas every Friday after Thanksgiving.
Over the years, Mother Nature has smiled on our annual kickoff celebration with mild temperatures which have provided us with a very pleasant evening for enjoying the festivities and browsing through the stores.
So this year be a part of the start of a great holiday season in Watford City by taking in the Parade of Lights and then spending the evening browsing through your local stores.