Pikes Peak CSI

President's Message

The President's Corner - November 2011

Giving Thanks in Dry Times
As we quickly approach our national holiday of Thanksgiving, at least some of us may be thinking or wondering, what is there to be thankful for? After all, we are in the midst of the longest recession since the Great Depression. National unemployment is holding steady above 9 percent with tens of millions of Americans out of work. Many of us who are employed are earning less and working more to keep our jobs. Home foreclosures still persist and most of us have taken some big hits on our retirement accounts. The year 2011 has not been the year we hoped it to be, the year the "Great Recession" was finally over. 2012 may not be much better. What I need to do now is hush up about all this negativity and suggest that even in the worst of times, there is a long list of things that we can all be thankful for. Here is the beginning of my list.

Faith
No matter how difficult my situation may seem, I am mindful that I am blessed way beyond what I deserve. These tough economic times with threats of layoffs are most certainly a time when my own faith is being tested. What I have come to realize that neither success nor self-worth need be or ought to be defined by a bank statement but rather by a relationship I have with my God and by the relationships I have with people that have touched my life. I believe that things can and will get better in spite of all the negative and ugly news I hear to the contrary. I live in the greatest country on God's green earth and I refuse to give up or give in. I will remain steadfast and determined to finish life strong both mentally and spiritually.

Family
My wife Michele and I will celebrate our 42nd wedding anniversary in a few months and it is hard for me to believe sometimes we have come this far together. We started out young and determined with hope for a good life and it has been good. We have experienced together the peaks and valleys that life brings, but as for me, I have more admiration and love for her now than ever before. We have 3 children and 9 grandchildren who continue to be the most wonderful gifts that we could have ever imagined.

In closing I would like to say that this Thanksgiving, when all the family comes together to the table to sit and talk and laugh, to enjoy one another and most likely stuff ourselves, I will be thankful because we will be exactly where we are supposed to be on that special day and all will be good.

Roger D. Hamilton, CSI

President, Pikes Peak CSI

Links

Industry Links