It’s November 20th, 2023. This is the beginning of Thanksgiving week. I’m thankful everyday because gratitude is the cornerstone of happiness. Marcus Tullius Cicero said “A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues.” Being thankful for what you’ve got feels better than wanting something you don’t have. Today we can celebrate a Beautiful Day, Do Dah Day, Future Teachers of America Day, Globally Organized Hug a Runner Day, Name Your PC Day, National Absurdity Day, National Peanut Better Fudge Day, Transgender Day of Remembrance, and Universal Children’s Day. It’s also Pirates Fest in the Cayman Island which sounds like a lot of fun. On this day in 284 Roman general Diocletian was proclaimed Emperor by the Roman armies of the East and West. He would rule for 21 years, abdicate voluntarily and retire and then die a natural death. In 1521 on this day the Arabs would attribute the shortage of water in Jerusalem to the Jews making wine. I don’t know how many Jews were murdered. On this day in 1789, New Jersey became the 1st state to ratify the Bill of Rights. On this day in 1820 the whaling ship Essex was attacked and sunk by a sperm whale in the Southern Pacific. Only 8 or 20 crew members survived. This event became the inspiration for the novel “Moby Dick”. On this day in 1958 the Muppets began. On this day in 1969 Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay was seized by militant Native Americans. This is the day in 1998 that the first module of the international space Station was launched. Today’s words of wisdom come from the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy who said, “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” “When you love someone, you love the person as they are, and not as you’d like them to be.” “If you’re not enjoying your work, you should either change your attitude, or change your job.” “Each person’s task inlife is to become an increasingly better person.” “The key to success in life is using the good thoughts of wise people.” That’s an excellent quote to end on. Abide.
