On this Thanksgiving day Anno Domini 2024, I have much for which to be thankful:

*Being born in America. Like all Americans, I began life with a winning lottery ticket.

*The opportunity to serve in the USAF.

*The opportunity to serve as a civilian police officer.

*The opportunity to serve as a teacher.

*The opportunity to fight for goodness and to fight evil.

*Andrea Widberg, who invited me to edit, and post my wretched scribblings at American Thinker.

*Everyone who kindly reads American Thinker.

*All the good folks who patronize my scruffy little home blog. They’re obviously among the most intelligent and virtuous people alive. statelymcdanielmanor.wordpress.com

*The Almighty for keeping me alive when it would have been just as easy to do otherwise, and for the gift of music.

*My fellow Americans who, despite years of propaganda, voted for real hope and change.

*Life in Wyoming, one of America’s true free states.

*My precious wife, who for 47 years has made my life worth living and who daily inspires me to be a better man.

*My sister, as good a woman as women get.

*My extended family, all of whom are good, decent people.

*My friends, who know me and like me anyway.

*Every American who knows what a woman is.

*The possibility of restoring our representative republic and the rule of law and the will to do it.

*Retirement, which turns out to be not nearly as restful as many imagine.

*Good health and a mostly sound mind.

*The medical miracles without which many of us wouldn’t be reading, or writing, this.

*Assassins with bad aim.

*Lobster.

*Steak.

*Prime rib, rare.

*McDonald’s fries, which might one day be cooked, again, with beef tallow.

*Christmas music.

*Our annoying but charming little cat.

*The goodness and decency of most Americans.

*The Founders, who gave us the most perfect system of government devised by man.

*Legislators who understand that, and as for the rest, meh.

*The Internet, which makes reading this list possible.

*American ingenuity, which makes computers, cell phones, and so very much more possible.

Graphic: 2ID Recon Baghdad. Wikimedia Commons.org. Public Domain.

*The sacrifice and nobility of America’s truly best and brightest who won’t be coming home this Thanksgiving, or ever again.

Happy Thanksgiving, and God bless us, every one.

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.