Peace.

There are many things that I can say that I have accomplished in my short life here on earth.  I have addressed politicians and they have listened to what I had to say, I have spoken to groups of people that have numbered in the thousands, I have stood in Disney World on Christmas Day and felt the energy of thousands of people on one of the best days of our calendar year, and today…I was in Best Buy for Black Friday. I saw  the best and the worst. I saw people literally jump into mountains of products only to have that same pile disappear moments later, I saw people make fun of others as they were forced to crowd together, like cattle, in lines as long as the eye can see and I saw others be defiant standing in the ways of people that were simply just trying to get around them in an isle. At one point in time, I simple grabbed ahold of Shannon’s hand like a vice, placed it in the center of my back and PLOWED through angry people just to get to the other side for Shannon’s own safety…I don’t care WHAT time of year it is, people move when a 6’5”, 300 lbs man comes barreling through. Thank goodness they did, I had no intention of stopping to see what they were screaming at each other for.


I also saw something else. While standing in what seemed to be miles and miles of check out lines, crying children, and complaining customers; I saw Shannon. For a second she looked up at me and smiled. At that moment I realized, that I should be thankful. Thankful that we could afford to go shopping for “non” essentials like electronics, thankful that we were financially stable enough to put this on our credit card that our jobs help us pay for, thankful for my wife, when so many these days find it impossible to stay together. Thankful that we would take our packages out to our paid for vehicle and take them to the home we own and then have a meal of LEFTOVERS from the GIGANTIC meal that Shannon prepared for us, and her family, the day prior. I found in that line, in that crowded store, on the BUSIEST shopping day of the year, surrounded by the ugliness of others self preoccupation, I found thankfulness. I leaned over, kissed her on the top of her head, enjoyed the view of others and we went home. Today, on Black Friday, I got the best gift of all….peace.

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