Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and  do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff  or publishers)

Alas, another Thanksgiving in Somerville. With all the craziness in the world today, I’m thankful for just making it through another year. It’s time to be thankful for the things we have and the people we cherish. Sometimes we are just too busy to stop and count our blessings. We have schedules that need to be met each day. We usually go to bed, wake up, shower (hopefully), make lunches, walk dogs, drop kids off, and head to work at roughly the same time each weekday.

As Friday approaches, we breathe a sigh of relief and get ready to kick back. As the band Loverboy reminded us in the 80’s, Everybody’s Working for the Weekend. As mundane as all this sounds, I am grateful for it. Do I stress when the kids are taking their time in the morning? Yes. Do I beep at the guy who cuts me off in traffic? You bet (I am grateful for my horn). Do I panic when an idiot light comes on in my truck? Yes (but thankfully I have a great mechanic!!). I’m still grateful for it all. Do I sometimes forget to be grateful? Absolutely. But not this week. This week we have to be grateful. It’s right in the name of the holiday, THANKSgiving. Much too often we are just too busy to be grateful.

Schedules are what keep us going. Some may call it a rut. But it’s only a rut it is annoying you to the point of constantly complaining about it. I am thankful for my schedule because I am healthy enough to maintain it. I complain when something happens that makes me run late. I’m pretty prompt. I am very thankful for my family and loved ones, my job, and my work family. I am thankful to Me-TV for bringing back shows like F-Troop, Gilligan’s Island, Car 54, and The Honeymooners. I’m thankful for the Red Sox and their awesome season (Boston Strong!). I’m thankful for my leather recliner and my big TV. I’m thankful to be living in the home I grew up in. Thankful for pasta, eggnog, mayonnaise and football.

I’m thankful that I still  live in Somerville because every inch of the city holds a memory for me. Almost daily I drive by the bus stop I waited at to take me to the High School every day. I work at City Hall, which is across from that very High School, bursting with memories. The Western Jr. High, where I met some of my best friends, is still there. I drive by the YMCA and think of “Brownie” and the fun I had at Day camp. Every day, sometimes several times a day, I drive through Davis Square and recall making hot dogs and grilled cheeses at the luncheonette counter at Woolworths. I am grateful that I have a two-minute walk to Davis Square. I glance down Chester St. and see Redbones, where I basically used to live. I’m thankful I escaped there with what was left of my liver! At least once a week I drive by the old Kiss 108 studio on Rte. 16 and I’m thankful for my magical run on the radio. Every day I look at the piano in my den and realize how thankful I am that my parents gave me the gift of music that I passed on to my kids. I’m thankful that my new titanium hip is working out.

Here are some of the things my Villen friends are thankful for: Retirement, their grandkids, jobs that they love, support of family and friends, loving husbands and wives, unbelievably caring girlfriends and boyfriends, their kids, recovery after heart attacks and other illnesses, still having their elderly parents, good health for all, today, finally finding out what the fox says, and life itself.

I’m particularly grateful for the upcoming birth of my first granddaughter. I hope I can be a good grandpa. I am also thankful for having had my Aunt Molly in my life. She was 98 years old and lived the most fulfilling life anyone could ask for. We will sing and laugh together again someday Auntie.

I will also be thinking of some of my sick family members and, of course, all the troops around the world on this Thanksgiving. Hopefully they will all be home and well soon.

After the leftovers are gone I will probably start taking things for granted and complaining again, but not this week. I’m very happy and thankful, and I hope everyone has a healthy and happy Thanksgiving.