Giving Thanks in Turbulent Times

A few quick thoughts about Thanksgiving 2008.

The past week is a case-study in contradictions. There was another huge terrorist attack, in what may have seemed like an unlikely place. Family members were forced to reassess their travel plans when protestors shut their final destination down. And I meanwhile, in a different world, I discovered, that of all things, there are wineries in Nebraska.

1) India:

That this happened this week should really come as no surprise. Islamist militancy has long looked for weaknesses when planning their attacks, and last week's attacks throughout Mumbai were proof that there will always be vunerable targets.

It serves us well to remember that India itself was carved out as a Hindu homeland, with the majority muslim areas spun off into Pakistan and, eventually, Bangladesh. While we may yet find that these horrible attacks were connected to the regional tinder box that is Pakistan, you cannot ignore that just as we learned in Oklahoma City, sometimes your own worst enemy can be your neighbor.

There was a time when I could very well have been in a lobby like the Taj Hotel's, with family worried sick the moment they heard gunmen were looking for people with American passports.

My thoughts are with the families around the world who lost nights of sleep worried about their loved ones this week, and, in particular, with those whose worst nightmares came to pass.

2) Thailand:

Usually when news of social unrest in a foreign land hits, you note it with a distant eye, hoping a country finds its way somehow.

I say that with the perspective of having once been barricaded inside a hotel watching the city around me go up in flames. The power of ordinary people to bring a nation to its knees is impressive.

With Bangkok now shut off from the world, it turned into a much more personal story this week as I realized that I had family in the region, expecting to land back in Thailand shortly after anti-government demonstrators shut down the nation's main airports.

Luckily they were still in Cambodia and able to rearrange their travel plans home. Their suicases weren't so lucky. They are still sitting hostage in a kept-baggage closet at their hotel in Bangkok.

I'm thankful that my family is home safely, now.

3) Nebraska

The Thanksgiving holiday, this year, was spent with family, as we're supposed to.

And while the incidents in Mumbai and Thailand were clearly in my head all weekend, I couldn't help but note that they seemed a world away from the old fraternal order club where we shot some pool, the lake on the side of a highway where we had turkey and homemade apple pie or the odd little winery on the hill overlooking some dams.

While our world is ever shrinking in this unsteady era of terrorism, upheaval and economic wariness, I was struck by the resiliency of family and community in the smaller world that is Nebraska.

I was jarred one night watching the local Grand Island news that they didn't even bother to mention the attacks in Mumbai, while the national news networks were on the story 24/7. It proves the point that sometimes what's local doesn't reflect what's going on around the world, and that's comforting, in it's own way.

My own personal world view definitely found contrast this past week with a world in which hunting season was a bigger topic of conversation. And in a week full of bad news, on top of the economic mess we're muddling through, it was nice to be easily distracted by the small things that really matter.

Thank you to everyone in Nebraska for welcoming me so warmly as always. I love you all very much.

As this Thanksgiving weekend draws to a close, I give thanks for all of my friends and family here in Colorado, across the United States and around the world. I am thankful for having you all in my life.

Going Big Red

This city slicker ended up in Nebraska for the Fourth of July weekend, and in case it wasn't clear, it's a very different world out there in Big Red country.

That said, the family we hung out with was, as usual, fantastic to spend time with.

Special props to the younger cousins who humored me while I vaguely attempted to fish off of a pontoon. I did manage to hook a pair of bass. Maybe next time I'll actually dare touch one, let alone pry it off the hook with some pliers!

Coming from the land of eternal dryness, it's amazing to drive up into the Platte River valley along I-80 and suddenly be surrounded by lush farmlands as far as the eye can see. As yellowed as Eastern Colorado can be, Nebraska was blanketed in endless shades of corn husk green.

This abundant humidity also allows for an Independence Day with a little more firepower. Clearly fireworks are highly encouraged, and practically a full-contact neighborhood sport. We wandered over to a neighborhood by the Grand Island racetrack where we settled into some burgers and beers waiting for the 10 PM fireworks extravaganza. By 8 PM the neighborhood was exploding already in serious firecracker competition. Never in my life have I seen the thousands of full-force fireworks exploding from every house. Sure, they paused briefly for the big show, only to do their best to show it up afterwards with their biggest boomers (allegedly from Missouri, where everything is legal). They were still going strong when we escaped back to our hotel around midnight.

Stagnant economy? Tell that to the Midwestern fireworks vendors who made off like bandits this year!

Leave it to mother nature to trump the explosives, though.

As dusk settled in the next evening and the bonfire lit up the lakefront where we were hanging out, I saw a different display of natural light that was nothing short of breathtaking. On cue, the trees and grasses around the lake suddenly flickered with hundreds of fireflies dancing in the night.

It may have lacked the firepower of the night before, but their glow in the moonlight is something I will never forget. The city slicker was thoroughly charmed by the countryside.

The warm Nebraskan welcome we were given all weekend, reminded me yet again how lucky I am for having such an amazing, crazy family today.

Whether here at home, across the United States or around the world, I am very lucky to have all of you in my life.

I love you all very much.

Hastings Revisited

This past weekend I trekked back to Hastings Nebraska to celebrate my grandfather’s 80th birthday. I am never really excited to revisit this small town having spent my life growing up in Denver.

To my surprise I had a great moment of appreciation at the birthday bash being held at the old Eagles Aerie 952 club in the historic downtown. It is fitting that the club is on Second Street and Denver Avenue, which is the same block that intersects the historic Burlington Train Station.

As we drove to the event my mother and aunt were reminiscing about growing up in Hastings and all of the time spent walking the downtown streets with all of the soda shops, cafes and the movie house.

Some of that energy came back that night simply by having family and friends there to fill up the club. It was cool to see my family dancing along with my grandfather to the sounds of Glen Miller. Usually those sounds would be cringe worthy, but it brought me back to another era.

Today, the city streets in downtown Hastings are nearly dead with so many beautiful buildings just sitting vacant.


The city is doing everything it can to give a boost to its downtown and is offering incentives for small business to come back. We are fortunate to live in a city like Denver that has kept its roots in its thriving downtown. Hopefully, Hastings will figure out how to keep its city center just as viable.

For more photos of historic Hastings, check out The Adams County Historical Society.