Now You Know: Thanksgiving Top 10

In honor of Thanksgiving, we share with you our top 10 reasons to be thankful this year!

We are thankful to our Creator, who gave us the precious gift of life and all the blessings we hold dear. As Christians, we strive to honor and serve Him in all that we do, knowing that He is our source of strength, our guiding light, and the foundation of our purpose—both in the joyful times and in the trials we face. Let’s never forget that faith and trust in God carry us through, always.

We are thankful for our families. The greatest joy in each of our lives is the blessing of family — those who offer us unconditional love. For our grandparents, parents, children, and extended family, we are grateful for the memories we share and the time to spend together in unity. We are grateful for new life, with the birth of Madelyn Nawrocki in August! And for those loved ones who have passed on, including Delegate Szeliga’s father in the past year, we are grateful they are watching over us and hope to reunite with them again one day.

We are thankful for our friends. Many of us are blessed with a circle of friends who share our common goals, interests, and lifestyles. We cherish our times of leisure with good friends and the times we offer support to one another. May we treat our friends like family!

We are thankful for our local community. We love living in and serving District 7A. This local community is home to so much charm and spirit. From Middle River to Perry Hall, to Glen Arm and Kingsville, Carney to White Marsh, we are grateful for our neighbors, community organizations, and the local events that bring us together. From parades and festivals, charity drives to disaster relief, community meetings and town halls, we love meeting each and every one of you and treasure you as a unique part of Maryland.

We are thankful for our country. We will never forget that we have been given an opportunity to live the American dream. Capitalizing on this potential brings great satisfaction and reward. Protecting our rights as Americans is one of our greatest responsibilities, and we uphold these principles with great honor and dignity. We are blessed to live in America where democracy and the will of the people reigns.

We are thankful for our health. Each year can bring new challenges. After experiencing a global pandemic, we are grateful for our health and the opportunity for greater prosperity. For those suffering and experiencing health trials, we extend our love and support with hope for tomorrow.

We are thankful for our men and women in the military. This is critical not just on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, but all year long. We thank all those who offer their very lives in service to our country to protect our freedom as Americans. There is no greater sacrifice than to lay down one’s life for our nation and fellow Americans.

We are thankful for our first responders. To all the medical personnel, firefighters, police, and so many more, we thank you for your unwavering dedication and service to the community. You also represent a willingness and desire to offer your very selves for a greater cause. This noble sacrifice is one we will not soon forget. We love regularly meeting the many first responders who serve our district.

We are thankful for our educators. The greatest opportunity for success and freedom is a good education. To all those serving in our schools — from public, private to homeschool — your hard work does not go unnoticed. We hope you enjoy your long weekend with your own families and receive the necessary gratitude that you deserve from your students.

We are thankful for all of our community’s children. To the children and grandchildren who are the next generation, you give us great hope. Your sweet joy and childlike innocence bring us a healing balm in the difficulties of life. We pray that you continue to grow and mature into the incredible people that God has called you to be! We hope this next generation will be dedicated to the service of others.

This time of year invites us to reflect with grateful hearts on the blessings in our lives. It’s also an opportunity to support family, friends, and even strangers who may be facing challenges or heartache. Wishing you and your loved ones a season filled with gratitude, love, and God’s abundant blessings.

The views expressed in this column reflect the opinions and research of the authors and not necessarily those of The Avenue’s editorial staff.

”Now You Know” is a weekly column written by state delegates Ryan Nawrocki and Kathy Szeliga.