Happy Thanksgiving to all! And if I may say this, be aware of others around you. The holidays are sometimes especially hard on people who’ve experienced loss or are struggling with something. Be encouraging to others!
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Happy Thanksgiving to all! And if I may say this, be aware of others around you. The holidays are sometimes especially hard on people who’ve experienced loss or are struggling with something. Be encouraging to others!
This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for an abundant fishery and a magnificent pier, from which to access that fishery. I'm thankful for the morning view of the sunrise and what a spectacular view it is from the pier and driving through the park on the way.
I'm thankful for good fishermen who share a limited area with good will and safe practices and who share their catch with friends and strangers. To have a fish cleaning station is so convenient. I'm certainly happy for that. And I'm thankful for the pier staff that regularly washes down that cleaning station. Because after all, it is a food preparation area. I appreciate the friendly faces at the office for greeting me with a friendly "good morning", as I make my way onto the pier.
I'm thankful for the presence of good pier friends, some of whom are snowbirds. It's always great to see those folks return to share this piece of paradise. I'm thankful for year around fishing and the challenges of catching a wide variety of species. I'm happy for days of abundance and for the days when the fish just aren't biting that much. It makes me appreciate and value the magical days of plenty.
I'm thankful for the visitors, coming to the pier for the first time, experiencing the smells, sights and sounds of the gulf. The surf, sea-birds, dolphins, and sharks, even, provide such a feast for the eyes and nourishment for the soul. The exuberance of children taking in these wonders, even catching their first fish, is such a delight.
I love the quiet of the morning, as well as the frantic action of a school of redfish or jacks coming through. And I'm thankful, every time, for the change of seasons, when the really hot weather is gone and when the cold weather is gone for another nine or ten months. And I'm especially thankful for my ability to access the pier, to take advantage of all of these previously described joys. I say this in the context of having the knowledge that it won't always be that way, which only adds to my appreciation for the pier experience now.
To all: Thanks for being my friends! Thanks for sharing your time, great conversations, and unique experiences relatively few Americans have access to, like we do. It's a wonderful life and for it, I'm ever so thankful.