What are you thankful for?

Frontiersman editorial board

In two days hundreds of families across the borough will inevitably glut themselves on turkey, ham, stuffing and mashed potatoes and kick back sleepily in their recliners to contemplate what they're thankful for.

With a spectacular meteor shower drawing to a close, one of the most spectacular displays of the aurora borealis in recent memory and trees heavy with beards of hoar frost in the mornings, there's a lot to be thankful for just in the beauty of this valley.

But lest our thankfulness end on the beauty of Southcentral Alaska alone, remember how lucky we in Alaska are to have remained as yet relatively untouched by the events that have been happening on a national scale over the past two months. We are blessedly remote, although the call to national vigilance should remain in the forefront of our minds.

Our humble valley, which more than 60,000 people now call home, is an area that is certainly experiencing growing pains. Like an awkward teen searching for an identity, there have been and will be mistakes made throughout that growth process.

But it is during this holiday season that much of the Valley's true identity becomes evident.

Yes, there is a holiday hustle and bustle that sometimes brings out brusque attitudes, traffic jams and even a spike in crime, but if one looks past what's happening in the stores and on the roads -- into the homes and neighborhoods of those in the Valley -- one can catch the true spirit of the season.

There are Boy Scouts knocking on doors to collect food for the needy and groups of eager teens packaging baskets to ensure a traditional holiday dinner for those who may not be able to afford one. Over the weekend, children lined up at a local theater to donate toys to children who may not be as lucky as they are, in exchange for a ticket to a popular movie.

As we all delve into the first delights of the holiday season, take a moment to be thankful we're all part of an emerging community, an area that, with our diligence and time, will become a wonderful, unique place we all can be proud of.