BY MICHELE MILLER
What’s What New Port Richey
I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time. It’s Thanksgiving Eve and I know there are many of you that have a lot to do. Errands to run. Shopping (ugh). Fixings to tend to. Tables to set.
It’s okay. Take a breath.
On my end of what’s to be a neighborly Thanksgiving potluck fest, there’s a turkey to brine, my mom’s traditional breaded stuffing to whip together, and a pumpkin pie challenge that comes with an optimistic notion of making my own crust this year.
Suffice it to say, I’ve failed miserably in the past. But I have gumption. And yes, a little hope.
That’s a good thing in a world that, if you are paying any attention to the news, feels like a tragic mess all over the place. That there is no solving what’s happening “out there and over there from here” is a discouraging, overwhelming, guilty, hopless thought that arises while you’re trying to rustle up all that there is to be thankful for in your own world.
Unless, perhaps, you can turn that discouraging thought into the start of a better deed. Right where you are. In your way.
We all have gifts and strengths that when collectively gathered and nurtured add up to some pretty good stuff. I’ve seen it happen here, in this place where I made my home some 32 years ago. My historical vantage is that of an arguably “longtime” resident by Florida Cracker standards, some 25 years writing mostly “good news” stories for one of the area newspapers and the last 3+ years working as the creator of the What’s What New Port Richey website.
I’ve been out and about. Gone here and there. Witnessed and weathered the ups and downs. The fits and starts and the “Will we ever get there?!” laments of a small city on the verge.
I’ve also seen what seems like an endless resource of good people going about their business making a difference. Every single day.
They help provide an enriching arts environment by volunteering time to play or sing in local music groups. They direct and act on stage and work behind the scenes in your local theatre. They paint the native flora and fauna and local landscape for posterity or to hang on your wall or exhibit at the local arts center.
They open local businesses and support local businesses by sourcing locally. They hire hometown musicians trying to make an extra buck strumming a guitar at sunset. They weigh in on local development, vote, and voice their input as well as concerns about our community and the county’s growth and the future at public forums.
They sit on the boards of altruistic organizations with worthy mission statements that serve a better purpose. They sponsor and host events and festivals in the park that feed hungry kids, provide food for the pets of the elderly and raise awareness about substance abuse, suicide prevention and Alzheimer’s just to name a few. They educate us about our history – some of it good and some of it bad – at Veterans Day, Juneteenth, and Martin Luther King Junior celebrations.
They plant backyard and community gardens and offer free workshops to teach others how to plant, care for, and harvest vegetables and fruits so they can feed themselves. They host local foodie festivals to celebrate all that grows here.
They tend to the ails of the homeless. Deliver food to the homebound and serve meals at the local shelter throughout the year. They corral feral cats in overpopulated neighborhoods and bring them to be neutered. They pick up trash to help keep this community beautiful.
They take an interest. They take part. There’s a lot of giving that goes with that.
Thank you. <3
Peace and a Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours,
Now Onward.
2023 Pumpkin Pie Self-Challenge
Did a little troubleshooting and covering up with the pie dough maple leaves, but I do believe it’s getting better – getting better all the time. Next year.
