Im here tonight, on my day off, working Thanksgiving, as I will also for Xmas and New Years Eve,

so that those with families can be with their families over the holidays.

Im an old bachelor, with no family to speak of.  Im a distant relative to most of them, except a cousin up in BC, and Id just as soon keep it that way. 

Its funny that hes an adopted half brother, but hes closer to all of the rest of the family than I am, even though hes not related to them at all by blood.

The only holiday that I celebrate is Halloween.  I love that one !!

I think its great so many of you don't celebrate Thanksgiving.  I didn't this year either.  I haven't had a very good week this week.  Halloween was better and I remember other times in my life that have been more joyous.  I am grateful for the things in my life I don't have to suffer for.  I think we all give one another and sense of belonging and faimly.  I hope you all find happiness in your own way this season. 

Probably the most iconic pictures of Thanksgiving are those painted by Norman Rockwell.

What is ironic is that he was not a very good family man, by all reports.  He was depressed, reclusive, and irritable with his children.  He had a studio in a building outside the house, and rarely left it.  His psychiatrist said of him, * ...he painted his happiness, but did not live it.*

Compensatory behavior is very common.  He grew up in New York City, but painted the country life, etc etc.  If we look at our own lives, we may see that much of what we have done has been to compensate for something else.  In my case I know this to be true.

In my own case, I was a juvenile delinquent (on probation from age 5 thru 18) to compensate for being an abused child; then when I got out on my own I became a workaholic to make up for having been a junenile delinquent; then after awakening I retired and became semi-retired to compensate for having been a workaholic; and now what?  I dont know.  Maybe I will become a family man to fill that void.