I suppose community members outside of the United States are continually baffled as to why GameSpot's features and coverage diminishes the week of the fourth Thursday of every November (follow that?). Yes, Thanksgiving is here once more. We celebrate the European pilgrims who came to the new world to escape religious persecution.

For generations the North and South American continents have been a gathering place for those who would find freedom from oppression. Where a blessed people live, there riches will flow. Where riches flow, greedy men will seek control. Unfortunately when a people are blessed in their freedom, a larger, greedier majority will eventually form. This may seem a bit macabre, but the cycle frequently repeats itself.

With the rich supplies of tobacco (don't smoke), gold, silver, and various resources, these continents became a chessboard on which the rest of the global empires played. Spain, Portugal, and Britain all raced to colonize and control the Western Hemisphere. The native peoples of the region were first welcoming and then exploited until near eradication set in. Today it seems many of the peoples within South America are as much a blend of those existing peoples as North American peoples are a mixture of those brave individuals who have come seeking freedom.

This Thanksgiving I have been reflecting on the blessing of my family. I have been blessed with a greatt wife, a beautiful child, and an opportunity to contribute to society and various communities. The entirety of the human family has reason to rejoice, but some individuals and groups are passing through their own times of trials and afflictions. When I sit in comfort with my family to enjoy a warm meal, many around the world go hungry or many wonder if this will be their last day of life.

If you are reading this, the chances are good you not only live in a developed nation but also represent the richest nations in the world. Hopefully, many more of us within our communities will think less of our selves and remember the poor, the oppressed, and those who may need us more than we need our next deathmatch on Xbox Live.

Regardless of religion, politics, or preferences, the counsels of King Solomon are as applicable today as they were in his day:
"Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee."
Proverbs 3:27

We each have resources (time, talents, finances, and energies) we can give to help others. In reflecting upon my life, I can see where I can be better. Hopefully each of us will do that more than once in our lives and act accordingly to provide kindness, compassion, and support to those who need it most.