On Thursday we celebrated Thanksgiving, one of the world’s most underrated holidays.

Almost everyone stuffed themselves with turkey, potatoes, dressing, green bean casserole, cranberries, pie and whatever other food traditions are part of the family. Hopefully everyone also took plenty of time to socialize with loved ones.

We also should take at least a minute or so to think about why we’re thankful. It was a mealtime tradition for my family, one that was always taken seriously.

There were many things we could say. Choices include family, friends, good health, God, and much more. It wasn’t a hard question. Still everyone gave it some thought.

It’s something that could easily be tied in with hometowns. As part of being thankful, we should think about reasons to be grateful in the Marshall area.

I thought of five reasons almost instantly. I could have thought of more, but five is enough to show the range of blessings we enjoy in 2023.

One of them is our educational opportunities. We have excellent public schools. Several top notch parochial schools and a well-rounded community education program. We have post secondary opportunities with Southwest Minnesota State University and several nearby Minnesota West campuses.

It covers all bases from early childhood education to graduate school. I was helped as a traditional student and later when I returned to study for a graduate degree in my 30s.

A second reason to be thankful is our health care services. We have a tradition for first rate hometown care, one that’s been expanded in recent years.

We now have opportunities to see a wide range of specialists without having to travel. We can count on being properly treated for illness or injury. We also have preventive services to keep people of all ages healthy.

We should also be thankful for parks and trails. We’re very fortunate that the vast majority of people in Marshall and surrounding communities live within walking distance of a park.

City leaders showed good sense when they established and later expanded local park facilities. They’re a good attraction for everyone from young families to senior citizens. They make potential new residents more likely to choose our communities.

We should also be thankful for our businesses and industries, for both the large employers and the many small operations that help to drive our economy.

We have well rounded retail sectors with owners who are very dedicated to serving their customers. They offer good selection, competitive prices and personalized service.

We also have a solid combination of public and private sector employment. A young person with skills, education and human relations ability can find opportunities. It helps in retaining young people, both those who grew up in the area and ones who locate here for college.

Last but certainly not least, we should be thankful for our law enforcement and emergency personnel and for all of the ways they keep us safe. I live fairly close to East Main Street, and often hear sirens since it’s the largest corridor in Marshall. I don’t mind hearing sirens.

They’re a reminder of how there’s always a fast response when someone needs it. The officers, firefighters and ambulance crews are always ready. They’ll put their lives on the line to help someone if necessary.

Those five things are just a sample of what our local area has to offer. We really have a very good quality of life.

We should be thankful for it on Thanksgiving and all throughout the year. It’s not something that only two or three people can build. It takes many dozens of dedicated people, all of whom are willing to give of their time and talent.

I’m confident that it will continue to be a characteristic of the Marshall area. I’ve seen in recent years how young people have stepped up to the plate to take over for older residents who can no longer serve as managers or be part of rescue crews.

It’s a good tradition. We should thank our teachers, health care workers, public officials, business personnel and emergency response people whenever there’s an opportunity. We should at least remember them as reasons to be thankful.

— Jim Muchlinski is a longtime reporter and contributor to the Marshall Independent