Turkey Day, Black Friday Eve and increasingly the day to start shopping, are all ways to describe today, Thanksgiving Day.

But each misses the point as each of those descriptions is selfishly or commercially focused.

The point of Thanksgiving shouldn’t be about selfishness or getting the best deal on a new 60-inch flat screen TV. The day should be about reflecting on the many blessings we each have.

Most of us have something for which to be thankful, even at life’s lowest points — the air in our lungs, the beating heart inside of us.

Residents of communities can be thankful during this time of year, too.

Our community is blessed with a natural beauty that is unmatched in many parts of the world. Our area teems with wildlife and other natural wonders.

Our community also enjoys relatively good weather all year long and is generally a safe place in which to live, work and raise a family.

In addition, the Natchez-Vidalia area also features a sense of place and an appreciation of history that is quite unique.

Our area has many, many things for which to be thankful, but among the most important is a community in which people care about one another.

Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you.