Frankly, I have been surprised and pleased by the good humor of people this week. I have been to the grocery store several times, the bank, the coffee shop, run errands, and all of it’s been peaceful, fun, even collegial. People are chatting while waiting in lines. Waiting patiently, even while you bag up your 17 items in the 15 or less aisle. Everybody is in such a good mood. I think it must be Thanksgiving.

And why am I so surprised? I hate to admit it, but I think it’s because, on the inside, I am fast-forwarding to the days before Christmas. No, not thinking about Christmas lists, just making the parallel: the shopping, the crowds, the cool weather, the traffic, the lines. In the midst, I am leaping ahead. When I come back to the present, I am surprised.

There everyone is, wishing a Happy Thanksgiving. Everyone. You can wish it to a whole line at Starbucks and they’ll all smile and wish it back. You can smile and wish it at a total stranger walking around the block and he’ll wish it back. You can wish it to the people of every race and color who are tellers at the bank and they’ll wish it back.

Happy Thanksgiving is safe to say…to everyone. Because it’s non-denominational. You don’t have to worry if you’re offending. Everyone can give thanks, in one way or another, for something or other. And wishing happiness, well, it’s a given, when are grateful.

I just wish, somehow, we could make the Christmas season as peaceful. I suspect thanksgiving is a good place to start.