I love Thanksgiving. I love everything about this holiday. There are no gifts to purchase, there is no annoying "Thanksgiving music" to listen to, I get to spend quality time with my family, and I get to watch football and hockey all day while stuffing my face with a steady supply of turkey, dressing, and pumpkin pie. But as time goes on, I find that there is more to Thanksgiving, so very much more.
Like all children, when I was a kid, the idea of truly being thankful for something was an abstract concept. I didn't have enough life experience to realize how truly fortunate I was to grow up in a suburb of Orange County, nor how hard my parents had worked to provide me with such a wonderful childhood. It seems that I, like many kids, often took for granted the very things that were most deserving of my gratitude.
But now, Thanksgiving is something different. I have more life experience than I care to admit, and I have been fortunate enough to have married into a large, extended family that truly knows how to celebrate this holiday appropriately.
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Our Thanksgiving celebrations are big. Really big. We never have fewer than 20 people at the house, covering at least four generations. My wife's uncle is Rev. Donn Moomaw, President Reagan's former pastor. Along with football and hockey on the big screen, our family tradition involves Donn leading us in a short prayer of thanks, and then, during our Thanksgiving feast, each of us—if we wish—express what it is we are thankful for. Afterwards, we settle in for the time-honored talent show; where the kids play instruments, sing songs, recite poetry, or just tell a few corny jokes.
Our Thanksgiving celebrations have evolved into wonderful, if not exhausting, gatherings of family and friends. However, as I become more "chronologically advanced," as I witness the growth of my children and find myself ever more concerned for their future, Thanksgiving becomes more meaningful for me, a holiday with a palpable effect. I suppose with age and experience, comes appreciation. An appreciation of all we have, and a recognition that the true purpose of Thanksgiving is something that should be celebrated every day of the year.
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So, with all due respect to football, hockey, turkey and pumpkin pie, please allow me to say that I am so very, very thankful:
- For Julie, my wonderful, intelligent, gorgeous angel of a wife. Truly the finest person I have ever known; and I got to marry her.
- For Morgan, my beautiful daughter, college student, and massage therapist to the masses.
- For Christian, my talented film student son, future Steven Spielberg, and guarantor of my financial future.
- For Brady, my brilliant, guitar pickin', saxophone playing son.
- For my wonderful Mom, my brother, and all the associated family clans; the McGirrs, the Hunters, the Bjorklunds, the Cowens and the Moomaws.
- For the memory of my father, James Andrew McGirr.
- To have had Travis Moersch and his family in my life.
- For Tutto Fresco, for their fantastic food and community service, including raising funds to assist Mindy Jankanish.
- For Dave Hanna and Hanna's Restaurant. Class with a capital "C"
- For my job, as I am fully aware of how many people unfortunately don't have one.
- For Cinnamon Productions; for the great food, the great friendship of the Farah family, and for their community service, including hosting a fundraiser for Cade Spinello. Oh, and the carrot cake is to die for.
- For the great margaritas at Carmelitas Restaurant.
- For South County Bank; for their unselfish efforts in hosting a Food Drive to help the hungry in our community.
- For my church family at Trabuco Presbyterian Church.
- For Ani, Matt and Ruby Jane Taylor for showing us the power of love and resilience.
- For Selma's Chicago Pizzeria and Tap Room. Your love and support of the Moersch family is wonderful.
- For the Police and emergency personnel who help keep our city among the safest in the country.
- For football.
- For the countless parents and volunteers who work with our youth in scouting, sports organizations, school plays, band, etc., with no pay, few thanks, and for no other reason than to serve this community.
- For The Bell Tower Foundation and all who volunteer their time and effort to help those in need, and to make our community a home.
- For all those kids I coached for all those years. All that time I thought I was teaching them, when all along they were teaching me.
- For The Blind Pig Restaurant + Bar for their kind support.
- For my friends and colleagues on the RSM City Council.
- For our outstanding Planning Commissioners; Mark McQuaid, Mike Vaughn, Peter Whittingham, April Josephson and Kent Hayden.
- For City Manager Jennifer Cervantez and City Clerk Molly McLaughlin for their support and their ability to tolerate my sense of humor.
- For the Community Associations of Rancho (CAR) who volunteer so much time to improve our city.
- For my neighbor's Beagle, Ginger, who no longer howls as much as she used to.
- For the Angels. Not the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, just the Angels.
- For my sweet, full figured pug, Bailey Butkus.
- For Curt and Geri Stanley, Jack and Sally Leonard, and all the volunteers for Relay For Life.
- For our goldfish, Fred, who at this rate will outlive us all.
- For Pugs 'N Pals, who allowed me to rescue our newest family member, Bella Butkus. Honestly, it's probably easier to smuggle a child out of Cuba than it is to adopt a pug, but I'm very thankful nonetheless.
- For those brave souls, including some I have coached, who serve and protect our country. God Bless you all.
- To the men and women of our adopted 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines.
- For Mike and Deb Vaughn who lead Team 2/5.
- For the Rotary Club del sol of Rancho Santa Margarita/Coto De Caza
- For all my friends and neighbors, old and new.
- For those wonderful friends, neighbors and volunteers who worked so hard to help me have the opportunity to serve our community.
- For music, lots of it, of all styles and flavors.
- For Applied Medical for their community outreach and for reminding us all that corporations can truly have a heart.
- For my lifelong friends who served with me as members of the Planning Commission, including Jack Leonard and Jim Eakin.
- For the RSM Teen Council.
- For Suzanne Singh and all the members of our Chamber of Commerce.
- For Age Well Senior Services and the Santiago Seniors Club.
- For my guitars and our piano. The voice is still a work in progress.
- For Chris O'Connor and the Fellowship in Business Food Pantry; providing food to those in need.
- For our RSM city staff, who don't get the appreciation and thanks that they so richly deserve.
- For my health, my home and the love of my family.
- For God.
"When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around."
—Willie Nelson
So, tell me, please. In these complicated and uncertain times, what are you thankful for?
Mr. McGirr serves as a City Councilman for the city of Rancho Santa Margarita. He resides in RSM with his wife, Julie, and their three children.
