Editorial

Last year at Thanksgiving time, I wrote about my husband and I coming home from work and talking about all the things that did not go right during the day.

I said that we often discussed bad weather, problems at work, minor health ailments . . . the list goes on and on. Rarely did we mention any good things that happened that day. We - like many other people - dwelled on the negative rather than the positive side of life.

So a year later, have we made any progress? Although we still talk about problems and challenges, we also try to point out some of the positive things that are happening. I think we have looked for ways to help others in our family, neighborhood, parish, and community.

Appreciation for life. This past year has also given us a new appreciation for life. The death of my mother reminded us that we never know the hour when God will take us home. Although she was 86 years old, my mother - and the rest of our family - no doubt thought she might live to be 100.

The death of a parent or any relative or close friend underscores the importance of showing gratitude to our loved ones, of spending time with them. Many of us get so busy. We think we'll have more time in the future. But the future never comes.

Today is a gift. We only have today. I heard a wise saying, "Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present."

Another good piece of advice: "Don't put off to tomorrow what you can do today."

So what should we do today during this week of Thanksgiving and in the year ahead? Here are some suggestions:

• Take an extra day off work to spend more time with family and friends.

• Call someone you haven't talked with in awhile. Have a nice long chat.

• Write a letter, send a card, or drop an e-mail message to a relative or friend - or better yet, someone who might be spending the holiday alone.

• In the midst of the busy holiday schedule, take some time for prayer, Mass, or quiet reflection on the gift of faith. Thank God for all he has given us.

• Share what you have with those less fortunate. Give clothes, household items, or a check to a local thrift store or food pantry. In the Diocese of Madison, St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Charities, or the programs at the Catholic Multicultural Center always welcome donations.

Studies have shown that those who keep active and do things for others live longer. Maybe God keeps these people on earth for a purpose: to do his work. Let's show a positive spirit of gratitude and appreciation for others during Thanksgiving and the coming holiday season.

Mary C. Uhler, editor

Mailbag

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To the editor:

As a Catholic I am becoming more deeply offended every day by the actions of our so-called Catholic Governor Jim Doyle and other lawmakers who pretend to profess the same faith.

First the governor boasts of his longstanding and adamant support for a woman's right to abort her unborn child. Then he vetoes the recently passed Marriage Protection Act, which simply defines marriage as only legal between a man and woman. The Assembly failed to override his veto by only one vote when four Democratic legislators changed their original votes in favor of the law and sided with the governor.

Now the governor is pushing to provide health insurance coverage for the partners of unmarried state employees whether they are gay or straight. The Roman Emperor Caligula couldn't have supported a more anti-Christian agenda.

The bishops' conference has just reiterated the church's condemnation of abortion and same sex unions. Evidently, Governor Doyle and many other state and national Catholic politicians are totally ignoring their church's position on the most serious moral issues of our day. As Bishop Morlino has so aptly stated, you can't be both pro-abortion and Catholic at the same time.

Let's pray that Governor Doyle and other renegade "Catholic" political leaders here and in other states repent and begin adhering to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Timothy Peter Rookey, Middleton

To the editor:

Thank you for including the Making a Difference Column by Tony Magliano [print edition only]. Mr. Magliano's comments often resonate in my spirit. I was particularly moved by his comments published on Oct. 30, with the headline "War on peace: Has it been declared?"

Jim Penczykowski, Madison