What Am I Really Thankful For?

Every year at No Limit Agency, Nick and Sharon get a full Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings catered for the staff – it’s my favorite day of the entire year. This year, the icing on the cake (or should I say the gravy on the potatoes?) was a surprise baby shower rolled into this day of glorious gluttony, but that’s a topic for another column.

At this annual feast, we always go around the table and tell the group what we are thankful for. We had a smaller version of it on our end of the table and it really got me thinking about what I’m really thankful for. The easy and obvious response is that my husband and I are bringing a child into the world in just seven weeks (gulp). We’re going to feel joy unlike anything we’ve experienced and add a new title to our resumes – parent. Plus, we’ll learn the real definition of “sleep deprivation.”

But given today’s political climate, and the results of the presidential election announced yesterday, I got to thinking. What am I REALLY thankful for? Inspired by many of my friends on social media encouraging Americans to find the silver lining and focus on the positive, I challenged myself to do the same.

We, as a nation, have witnessed history being made for the second time in as many weeks. The Chicago Cubs beat a 108-year-old curse to win The World Series last week. I was raised a Sox fan (Carlton Fisk was my hero in the ‘90s) but my Cubs fan husband has done his darnedest to convert me.

It was heartwarming to see our city come together to rally behind a group of talented, good guys. Just seeing the smile on my husband’s face – along with the thousands of fans we saw when we visited Wrigley Field a few days later – was enough to make my allegiance fall toward the North side and truly appreciate what a monumental moment this was.

And, I’m not one to dive deep into political waters in a public forum but in the interest of focusing on the positive, I’ll say this: Whether you think it’s good or bad, Donald Trump winning the presidential election is a historic moment for our country – of course, on a much larger scale than the World Series. While I may not agree with his viewpoints on most issues, it would be hard to argue with the notion that we are witnessing history being made. If you can take a step back, which for most, it’s too soon to do, it’s an incredible feat.

If nothing else, we are learning a valuable lesson about why voting is so important – and that every vote truly does count.

What will happen in a Trump presidency remains to be seen. I’m eager to see how it will affect me personally, of course, but also the changes he will make to the franchising industry. I’m proud of the political coverage my team has produced for 1851 in the last two weeks – and look forward to hearing more about how franchisees and franchisors will be affected by our new president.

As I look ahead to 2017, there’s no denying it will be a year full of changes. I’ll do my best to keep my head up and be optimistic – will you?