Giving Thanks
November 21, 2011 I’ve probably mentioned this before in a past column, but I really don’t like the holidays much. Although I love the time to spend with family and friends over some good food, I absolutely hate the pressure of finding gifts, the endless running around for bargains and temptation to overspend for that “perfect” something that typically doesn’t last.
But the one part of the holidays I love beyond reason is Thanksgiving. To me, there’s something very special about a day devoted to nothing more than remembering to appreciate all the good things that life has granted each of us, no matter how great or small. Too often in the modern world, every moment seems like a rush to the next, and on and on and on. But on Thanksgiving Day, everything typically slows down to a nice steady pace, from the slow cooking of the turkey to the leisurely length of the full meal.
And this year, I’m betting that most ag retailers will give thanks at their dinner tables later this week as well. Based upon the numbers from our 2011 CropLife 100 survey, the nation’s top ag retailers had plenty of positive sales numbers to celebrate, despite some serious question marks from a rain-shortened spring season. And even though profits were still hard to come by for some organizations, there was money to be had and the outlook for 2012 seems as just as rosy at the moment.
Now there may be bumps in the road ahead and unexpected events that occur that turn the future from bright to dim in a heartbeat. But for this week at least, I’m hopeful that everyone that makes their living in the agricultural world will be able to look back and just be thankful that 2011 was such a great year.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone, and God bless.
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