On Gratefulness

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. 

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Why? It’s a holiday that symbolizes America. Our racial, political, religious, sexual or other differences don’t matter compared to our shared Americanism. It is a celebration of the fact that all (and I’m literally going back to the ice age crossing of the Bering Straight) of our ancestors came to these glorious shores searching, hoping, praying for a fresh start. 

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America was then and, I believe, still is, the land of opportunity. You can choose to be or do [almost] whatever you want. If you are willing to work hard, opportunities are endless. 

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With all of our political differences, it’s easy to forget just how much we have to give thanks for. We are the most diverse nation on earth. We are [mostly] a meritocracy. We are constantly reinventing and improving. Change is celebrated.

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We are not perfect and have much to improve. It sometimes feels like we are backsliding but that is solely due to our natural short-term mindset. If you stop to consider the long arc of history from our founding, things have improved to such a degree it’s hard to fathom. The pace of that improvement is only increasing. Innovation, entrepreneurs, and startups are driving our nation and world forward.

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I’m thankful to my family, my team, my customers, my partners, my fellow Americans and even every soul on Earth. I hope today is restful, relaxing, filled with joy and a full belly. 

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