Dear Honey Run Friends,
This year has been a mess. With a pandemic still causing issues and politicians blaming each other for every problem and ailment of society, it has been a real treat to watch tv or read the news. Wildfires and hurricanes are ravaging the landscape and the threat of global warming is going to ruin life as we know it. Foreign governments interfering with our elections and disinformation news and with racial unrest building with anger to the point of physical violence and destruction of property. City curfews and even some areas on lockdown, military and national guard in the streets. I have not even begun to start to list our personal struggles of disease, tough finances due to a lost job, and all the other daily trials that challenge our joy.
Is there anything to be thankful about this Thanksgiving? There is. While the news and social media make the world seem as though it is coming to an end, I ask you to stop and smell the harvest of fall. Take a walk and listen to the leaves crunch underfoot as the cool fall air whips over your ears. Listen to the conversations being had by families and friends, socially distanced of course, around the neighborhood. There is joy to be had and we do not have to hate each other just because we have a difference of opinion. We all want our basic needs to be met of food, water, and shelter and then we want to be loved. Loved by our families, friends, coworkers, and society. Not much has changed other than we are bombarded with sensational media 24 hours a day. Turn it off and start loving your neighbor as you love yourself. Share a good old-fashioned face to face conversation and friendly debate with someone. Learn what makes someone else tick and put them first above yourself. Stop focusing on everything that is wrong in life and let us start listing the good.
Did you wake up today? Fantastic, you were given another day of life on this earth. How are you going to use it? Do you have a roof over your head? You are doing better than 1.6 billion people in the world who do not have adequate housing. Did you take a shower or drink water this morning? You are doing better than 11% of the world that does not have water. Did you eat today? 9% of the people in the world today did not eat. Did not eat! We complain because we cannot decide what to eat in our over nourished society.
Even in our brokenness in America we have so much to be grateful for this day. My prayer is that this Thanksgiving no matter your circumstances, that you take a few moments and give thanks. God has blessed us all with so much in America, its time we see these blessings and live as people who have been blessed. We have struggles and hardships, but we have blessings too. Do not let the scales of perspective be tipped in the wrong direction in your life.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Your grateful Innkeeper,
Jason
Thank you for your uplifting letter. There is always something to be thankful for!
Praise God for good news!!!
Jason,
Thank you for this message. It truly is time for Americans to “live as people who have been blessed”. I have often said that just by being born and living in this country, we have hit the global jackpot! We never have to think about where we get clean water (Flint, MI excepted), we have food banks and food stamps to help the nutritionally insecure, we have adequate housing for most people despite our homelessness problem. The real issue we have is in loving each other, we don’t. We have become a nation of people who believe we are entitled to ignore the needs of others and the common humanity that means we all deserve to belong.
I wish you and your family many days of joy ahead, seasons of abundance, and the love of family and friends. Peace.
I start my day with gratitude and always welcome those that see the glass have full on this journey.
Thanks, Jason, for your letter! I always enjoy reading them. Somehow, in an honest and humble way, you seem to be able to boil it all down and encourage us to put others needs before ourselves and “love one another!” I read that somewhere! 😀 Keep the faith and Happy Thanksgiving!
Jason: I find your letter very comforting in this time of turbulence. It is my hope and prayer that our Country will find reconciliation and we will continue on a path to peace and prosperity. I will look forward to a new year, this has truly been a year of sadness, losing my husband to pulmonary fibrosis in April and myself surviving open heart surgery last month. Through all this I have learned that not much matters with the exception of family and friends who have surrounded me with their unconditional love and care.
I have been privileged to stay at the Inn on several occasions and I look forward to making the trip again when health permits. It is a treasure all of its own with such peaceful surroundings.
I wish for you and all of us better, happier times in the coming year.
Best Wishes
Peggy Dorr
Thank you for this letter, it is easy to focus on the negative during this time.
My husband and I needed a quiet escape and The Inn was our first thought. It was so relaxing to either to sit on the patio, hike the trails or just look out the window of our room in the Honeycombs. Thank you for providing a wonderful place to escape.
Jason, what a beautiful tribute to Margaret. Thank you for sharing.
AMEN, Jason! Thanks for putting life in America in perspective. You are correct in your position that the news and social media dwell on the negatives rather than the positives. May we ALL be thankful for what we have this Thanksgiving. We have lots to be thankful for as we all are so blessed!
Wow – what a spot-on perspective! We are first-timers, having just spent a couple of October nights in one of Shire rooms to celebrate our 50th anniversary. (Bilbo and Frodo would have been jealous of them digs!) Our grown kids bought us this getaway after our week-long family beach trip had to be axed. Each hour on your beautiful property stirred more and more awareness of the amazing gift is life itself, along with mind and senses to enjoy it. We do regret not meeting you, Jason, especially since we learned back home that I was once the pastern of some WPAUMC friends of yours with whom you made an overseas trip. Next time!
Thank you Jason for your beautiful letter. We should all count our blessings. Have a wonderful holiday season. See you in the spring,(maybe sooner)
Wise words. It was a joy to read your letter this morning. Thankyou. We should all count our Blessings.