Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday: surrounded by friends, family and comfort food you are free to enjoy the season without all the pressure of gift-giving and great expectations. Sure, there is a ton of prep work in the kitchen for a meal that may last less than an hour, but being able to slow down and relax is a tradition that is quickly fading within our society. Today we force ourselves to pause.

As always, our thoughts go out to those who are working today so that we are able to enjoy our time with loved ones. Soldiers, public servants, healthcare workers and more don’t have the luxury of closing their doors for business on Thanksgiving. Having spent my share of holidays sitting in vehicles, hotel rooms and in the middle of parts unknown, I remember how the mind wanders back to what are actually the most important aspects of our lives.

While the bonds between our closest friends and family may be stronger than ever, as a country it feels like we are more fractured than ever before. Thankfully TFB’s Firearms, Not Politics motto keeps most of the division between the members of our community at bay. But as political rhetoric rages on within the U.S., I worry that we as Americans are loosing our hunger for the individual freedoms we have worked so hard to preserve.

But for today, whether you are lucky enough to be sitting fireside with relatives, or you are working on the front lines, take a moment to steer clear of partisan thoughts and appreciate the good in everyone. It can be a refreshing change on a day where we should be thankful for everything we have difficulty remembering the rest of the year.

One last note: Steve and Phil – we are all thinking of you. Thanks for making TFB the place it is today.

Be safe. Have fun. And thank you for joining us here at TFB.