Giving thanks

Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. is a great holiday – though it means different things to different people. To some, it means a short work week with the official holiday on the 3rd Thursday of the 3rd full week every November, usually accompanied by the following Friday as a day off as well. To others, it is the unofficial start of the holiday season and “shop to you drop” time of year.

To still others, it means a chance to eat unhealthy quantities of turkey with gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, potatoes, and other accompaniments – retreat to the living room – and fall asleep from the tryptophan rush that many people believe is the reason for the urge to fall asleep while watching Thanksgiving NFL football games (if you want a science-related explanation of this phenomena, there is a good description at http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/question519.htm. Still other more literal and history driven folks thirsting to find the “real meaning of Thanksgiving” can satisfy their (historical) appetites by reading this article.

For me – a regular guy who believes in keeping things simple – Thanksgiving means a number of things. First and foremost, it signifies that the end of the year is approaching (faster and faster each year) and is one of the most special holidays of the year. Next, and most importantly for me, it is a chance for our family to come together, celebrate, discuss all that is going on in the world today, pay respects to those that have passed before us and remind them we miss them. It is the best time of year to be thankful for all we have and to remember that, no matter how cynical or sarcastic we New Yorkers may be about politics, current events, the economy, etc. – that we must be grateful for all the great things we have been blessed with. Yes, we eat almost obscene quantities of food during this holiday, say our goodbyes to each other only to reunite back in New York in ~one month’s time and practice similar eating habits, but each year that goes by leaves me feeling more and more grateful that I am able to say the following:

• I am very grateful to work for a company like Malvern that cares as much about its people as it does, and hires quality individuals around the world that all seem to be thankful for what we have and share in the delight of sharing our expertise with customers and colleagues alike, in a spirit of helping others get to a better place
• I find it particularly rewarding to see more of our instruments being used around the world in the global fight to find better and more effective treatments for all types of cancer. As a cancer survivor who is still around primarily due to the caring and brilliance of healthcare professionals that dedicate their lives to this battle, I am particularly grateful.

In closing, let me wish those that celebrate Thanksgiving a wonderful holiday – and let me also say “thank you” for allowing me to express my thoughts at this time of year – and I hope all of you have many things to be grateful for now and well into the future.