Thanks Giving

I carve the turkey.

I am not that strong, but I manage, even when it 's a large one. I am no gourmet, but I make it look reasonable on the tray and just fine for leftovers. I am dressed for dinner, but I don't mind getting dirty. So, just about every Thanksgiving, I carve the turkey.

Now, it wouldn't be much of a meal with just my efforts. The tray I fill may sit in the center of the table, but it is soon surrounded by assorted side dishes, most of which came about independent of my efforts. And even the turkey I carve would be a giant frozen blob, if not for the efforts of other people who prepare it and watch over its cooking. So, in the scheme of things, my contribution is pretty small.

Every day, however, things work because of small contributions from all of us. TV shows happen not just because of the actors we see and the writers who write the words we hear. They happen with the work--the contributions--of many people, from the chefs who make the food on set each day to the PAs who drive the vans and sort the mail. Children grow and thrive not just because of their parents and teachers, but also because of the countless other people making contributions in their lives.

As my carving the turkey helped make the Thanksgiving dinner, each day, the small contributions of many make the best things in life a success. If we undervalue the small things, we run the risk of making the big ones impossible. So, whether your job is carving the turkey or heading up the table, making the centerpiece, or just loading the dishwasher, remember that it matters, and that the Thanksgiving dinner, or whatever the endeavor, wouldn't be the same without you.