Thanksgiving, the word can mean football, parades, large stuffed turkeys, many pies of all kinds.

Laughter of family and friends around a pretty house, large dining room table setting.

In a warm clean home and everyone truly feeling blessed, grateful. You have a diploma, provide for your family, have a home. Savings, a healthy growing retirement account. Take vacations. Belong to a country club. Drive something late model, clean, sharp. You have opportunities. A future.

Plus toying with what to beeline to first, second, third with a squeaky wheel wire cage shopping cart.

On Black Friday to not miss out on all the big clock ticking away loudly deals. Hell bent to scratch lots of items off the neat hand written list.

Of what everyone wants for the ho ho ho Christmas racing toward all of us. Ready or not. It’s happening with or without you. Camping out, hours spent in a parking lot all bundled up, shivering. Looking to save ten, twenty dollars. Cash in a coupon or two.

Continue the tradition of tailgating with other merry some scary intense shoppers.

To arm wrestle, fist fight if you have to in the scoring the two or three deals of a lifetime items. Advertized to cause the whipped up stampede from each of the local big box stores.

To pacify, lure, tease hundreds, thousands of hopeful happy happy snappy holiday gift buyers. Crowded in long lines shoulder to shoulder.

(Record scratch sound, then silence.) Hold it.

Shift gears pilgrim. Because when you think beyond how hospitable the early Native Americans were to the early settlers. The ones landing in the Bay State, on shores off boats. That were rag, tag, green. A long way from their last home the other side of the puddle.

Pretty disorganized, suddenly “ta da”, in a new strange land. With cold temperatures, ill prepared for the snowy hibernation in the next many calendar months in America.

Think of the guy or gal at a correctional facility.

Overseas in gray, olive drap green, blue, dress white. Out of country serving in the armed forces. Fighting for freedom, the American way of life Uncle Sam spreads like peanut butter around the globe.

Separated from loved ones this Thanksgiving?

You can say you can relate to that person’s loss, suffering.

Can you with all you have stocked pile around you? When many have nothing. Saddled with depression, that are hungry, unemployed. Living in dysfunctional hook and by crook spur of the moment lifestyles. Bumping along with addictions on their backs. Cold, broke, tired, sad, hungry and so so alone. Going on and on.

Lost ones in your family this year too.

Not picking white, dark, any Turkey meat off the big heavy platter. And who won’t be at that attractively arranged Thanksgiving table this season. Pull the other chairs, place settings closer. Or invite someone alone, a long way from their real home into fill that slot.

Prepare a meal with loving hands of hot, tasty, in abundance plate servings for others. Include those less fortunate or just out of the loop. Home alone like Kevin.

But without the store bought tinfoil TV dinners.

Or delivered curbside cheese pizzas to give a whirl, try out. Like the fabric softener bought with a coupon to be frugal, thrifty. Before the walk home with two heavy plastic bags that let go, add to the frustration. Of being all alone for the holidays. And a kid on top of all of that.

Life is better with a large supply of hope, plenty of faith. Lots of regular sleep in a clean, warm bed.

The same bed, room, spot, routine. Not couch surfing, sleeping in your car, or hitting a homeless shelter. Shivering on a park bench for the night. Or under a bridge, out of sight to be just left alone. And told you have to leave, move along. Or getting robbed, harassed. Pick your poison.

It is easier to be happy, grateful when it is plain to see how much abundance you have.

The many blessings counted one by one Of the stuff that does not take money too. That is not the latest, greatest, plastic shiny trending for gift giving this Christmas season.

I’ll be home for Christmas blue blue oh so blue songs, if only in my mind. Reunions after being miles apart. Someday. Absence does make the heart go fonder. But broken hearts, lacking hope, locked in despair mode lonely individuals that are defeated. Desperate, ready to hands up, give up. Or commit a crime for the three hots and a cot.

These people are probably not part of your holiday celebration for Thanksgiving right?

Make you uncomfortable, can we change the subject please? Hey how about those Patriots, the Bruins right? Parents passing the kids please. Divorce proceedings recent, raw. Emotions high and the healing not happening yet in the routine of back and forth. In a public place. Tears, hugs, back packs and suitcases bucket brigaded. Handed over. To return in two days.

Or kids, half the parent equation, grandparents totally gone or off and on awkward, disruptive. And suddenly the child estranged. You the parent kidless, sleepless but not in Seattle. All over the land it happens. In the I don’t love you anymore. Somebody is moving out. Like it or not.

Reach out, do what you can for those that have little. In a tight upside down spot this Thanksgiving. Especially for the kids. To make holiday memory traditions that are bright, warm, peaceful. Tie on an apron for the public suppers for the elderly. Delivering food to the shut ins. Make, take time for others this holiday celebration season. In a private, not grandstanding sort of way.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker

207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com