I think about what I am thankful for today, and it always comes back to the Straight F’s in life.
If you have been hanging around the Chalkboard long enough, you have seen them appear from time to time. They are the Foundation, the cornerstone, the simple things that never fail me when everything else gets loud and chaotic.
It starts with the big three: Faith, Family, Friends. On Thanksgiving, I tack on Food and Football. Because if there is ever a day when those two belong on the list, it is today.
During the year, the list gets a few additions. Fundamentals is often applied. Fearless, Farmer, Fitness, Funk, Forgiveness and even flamboyant will make an appearance. Living on this lighted grid next to a big lake, Familiarity sneaks its way in on a daily basis. The feel of home, the comfort of knowing where the hell you are in this Fragile world.
... And yeah, sometimes I can toss in the most common F-word known to mankind. I am still a Chicago guy who worked on a trading floor.
But today I keep it clean and stick with the ones that built me.
Faith.
I will tell you straight: without the Holy Trinity and the Blessed Virgin Mary, I would be a busted-up mess. I am thankful every single day for the faith my parents planted in me, started in the baptismal font at St. Ita’s up in Edgewater. That wasn’t just water, it was the first brick in a foundation that has carried me through all the rough patches and all the stupid decisions.
I pray every morning driving into work and plenty of you Chalkheads get name-dropped in those quiet chats with heaven. You might not know it, but you have been prayed for more than a few times. I pray and I swear, that is what I do. I can be in the middle of a Hail Mary and if a guy doesn't use his directional signal, heaven will hear, ".... blessed art though amongst women (this jagoff can't use a directional?) and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Family.
The Shepkids are the biggest blessing I have ever been handed during my crooked, awkward journey of life. They clog toilets. They spill shit. They push every button God installed in me, but then, out of nowhere, they flash these moments of brilliance that stop me dead in my tracks. That is the good stuff. That is the stuff that keeps this man going.
As years roll on, family disappears from our tables and our phone lists. They leave a hole, but I don’t wallow in grief or emptiness. I am thankful they shaped me when they could, and I am thankful I will see every one of them again in whatever great reunion comes after this storyline, even the Shepkids’ mom will be at the eternal table.
Friends.
My Oldman preached this one hard. He told me early on to learn the difference between an acquaintance and a friend. Then he would quote Yeats,
“Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends.”
As I have gotten older, friends have sifted out. Some fade into memories. The true ones, the ones meant to stay have become the bedrock of my Foundation. You don’t get many of those in one lifetime. Guard them fiercely and cherish them.
Football and Food.
Thanksgiving doesn’t feel right without the Turkey Bowl, the Detroit Lions, and some good-natured tackles. Football is stitched into the fabric of today even if the Bears aren't playing.
Food glorious food! It is the bountiful symbol of all the hard work and sacrifice we go through. Every damn day, we grind for today's bounty. Give me stuffing, mashed potatoes drowning in gravy, and a slice of pecan pie to top it off.
When I get done chalking about Straight F’s, I will put on December by George Winston. Something I have done every Thanksgiving morning since Reagan was in the White House. Traditions matter and that album kicks off the day.
So today, give thanks for the Straight F’s in life. Stretch before you hit the annual gridiron. Hug the cook who made the turkey gobble just right, and don’t forget to tell the people around you that you love them.
Because next year’s feast isn’t promised to any of us.
One last thing...... I Love You
