On Monday I found out that my friend's house burned down. Rather than making apple pies or cranberry sauce in the hours before Thanksgiving, he and his wife will be sorting through ash and debris.
On Tuesday I found out that a friend's husband admitted to having an affair for more than a year. She will spend the hours before Thanksgiving checking credit card statements and learning more horrifying details.
My daughter Maeve and I couldn't avoid hearing my wife's anger while she sat stunned with the phone pressed to her ear.
"Daddy, whose head is it that mommy's gonna rip off?" Maeve asked.
Bad things happen to good people. And it seems everyone has something; something terrible and unexpected.
Charlie's diabetes is ours.
But hopefully even in the worst of times, there is at least something to be thankful for. My friend's three young children now have five times more clothes than they had before the fire thanks to the generosity of friends and family.
Me? I have much to be thankful for. I hope you do too. Have a very Happy Thanksgiving.
