Plains, Trains and Automobiles. One hilarious Thanksgiving movie. Sorry John Candy is no longer with us.
Without a doubt, I am sure everyone remembers this hilarious movie about two people who didn't know one another who ended up together and finding themselves in quite the predicament as they attempted to make their way home for Thanksgiving. John Candy played quite the part as a relaxed, laid back roaming fellow in search of that one big sale while Steve Martin, as the straight man, was superlative in his part. I still watch repeats of this movie at Thanksgiving time each year and it reminds me of my many adventures as a young man trying to get home for that long weekend on many occasions. I never had the disasters that they did but I did once find myself stranded at O'Hare in a blizzard while trying to get home on the twenty-third of December. I made it, but ended up spending Christmas Eve in bed, exhausted with a touch of the flu.
Now that I'm in the early stage of what I have to admit is being old, I don't like to travel very much anymore, especially over busy holidays. Maybe it's partly due to arthritis, but more in reality it is the exhaustion that always comes with the hassle of traffic, airports and not-so-efficient Amtrak trains these days, long waits and delays, and then when I get where I'm going there's too much going on in a short period of time that the old stamina starts to wane. And as Perry Como used to sing, "There's no place like home for the holidays." For me, after being in Florida for nearly twenty-five years, it is now home. Plus the cool weather doesn't normally get too icy and I notice that over time I don't really like the cold anymore. Then, of course, there are the grown children who in our nuclear environment and busy schedules have other things to do on a short weekend holiday, so a phone call is sufficient. Not complaining, mind you, just stating the way things are and it's the way they are meant to be in such an age and I am so thankful they are not living in the basement that I don't even have.
But for those of you who will be traveling this week for Thanksgiving, I offer these travel blessings:
Dear Lord, We thank you for inspiring earlier Americans to establish this wonderful American holiday and we ask that you guide and direct those traveling to visit friends and family for the occasion. We praise you for your love and grace and know that you are always there to guide us and advise us on how to do the things we do as you would desire, travel being one of them. So, may all drivers be calm and courteous and follow your wishes for how to live and treat others kindly, may all impatience be tempered by common sense, may airlines pilots, bus drivers and railroad engineers be endowed with your love and guidance to fulfill their tasks safely and carefully, and may all travelers reach their destinations and have a wonderful time and reflect the importance of this day and your place in the celebration. Then may they return safely, knowing that you have blessed them so greatly by allowing them to be citizens of the greatest nation on earth. We ask you also, oh Lord, to inspire them to pass on the reason for this holiday among their family and friends, especially the young family members who need to know our background so that they will understand why we are who we are and what we believe, and that includes standing for One Nation Under God. Thank you, Lord. Amen.
Now that I'm in the early stage of what I have to admit is being old, I don't like to travel very much anymore, especially over busy holidays. Maybe it's partly due to arthritis, but more in reality it is the exhaustion that always comes with the hassle of traffic, airports and not-so-efficient Amtrak trains these days, long waits and delays, and then when I get where I'm going there's too much going on in a short period of time that the old stamina starts to wane. And as Perry Como used to sing, "There's no place like home for the holidays." For me, after being in Florida for nearly twenty-five years, it is now home. Plus the cool weather doesn't normally get too icy and I notice that over time I don't really like the cold anymore. Then, of course, there are the grown children who in our nuclear environment and busy schedules have other things to do on a short weekend holiday, so a phone call is sufficient. Not complaining, mind you, just stating the way things are and it's the way they are meant to be in such an age and I am so thankful they are not living in the basement that I don't even have.
But for those of you who will be traveling this week for Thanksgiving, I offer these travel blessings:
Dear Lord, We thank you for inspiring earlier Americans to establish this wonderful American holiday and we ask that you guide and direct those traveling to visit friends and family for the occasion. We praise you for your love and grace and know that you are always there to guide us and advise us on how to do the things we do as you would desire, travel being one of them. So, may all drivers be calm and courteous and follow your wishes for how to live and treat others kindly, may all impatience be tempered by common sense, may airlines pilots, bus drivers and railroad engineers be endowed with your love and guidance to fulfill their tasks safely and carefully, and may all travelers reach their destinations and have a wonderful time and reflect the importance of this day and your place in the celebration. Then may they return safely, knowing that you have blessed them so greatly by allowing them to be citizens of the greatest nation on earth. We ask you also, oh Lord, to inspire them to pass on the reason for this holiday among their family and friends, especially the young family members who need to know our background so that they will understand why we are who we are and what we believe, and that includes standing for One Nation Under God. Thank you, Lord. Amen.
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