John -

We just wanted to take the time to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving, and encourage you all to reconnect as best you can.

The last two years, family holidays were more complicated than they already are – planning, feeding everyone, and being able to afford all the food – on top of the threat of Covid-19.

Families were torn apart by the misinformation and the threats that some believed were real, while others disregarded them. A lot of families had empty seats and people struggling with the long-term effects of Covid. It’s been a rough two years.

Not to mention the political climate has made for even steeper divides in family ties as we drift further into partisanship and resentment for one another.

So, I would ask you all to try and reconnect as best you can. Now, don’t go into it sacrificing your personal morals or just ignoring the issue – but try and understand one another as best you can. Listen to each other when it is possible to do so.

You may find you have more in common than you want to believe – and there are people who are profiting from your disagreements – know that much.

Most of us want the same thing, and this time of the year is a time to celebrate that: if you’ve got food on the table, and family surrounding you – you’re better off than a lot of people around the world, and sadly, a lot of people in this country.

We all want to be able to pay our bills, enjoy a weekend off, and be able to feed our kids and pets and enjoy our lives. We’re very simple creatures when you step back and think on it for a second. And trying to understand where someone is coming from, or what they believe is part of the reason why they can’t do the things they want to for their family – that’s part of listening.

They may have their facts wrong, and if you can point that out without being aggressive or being accusational, then you can try it out. But I would try to get to the core of these issues that seek to divide us if you can. If you find yourself talking about these things, that is – if not, enjoy the time with your loved ones. Don’t focus on the negative, as hard as that can be, try and take the time to be appreciative for the people in your life.

You can lose arguments and still be right in your own morals. But you can’t take back cruel words or hurting someone for the sake of winning a debate. And we all know that when a loved one’s time is up, those things haunt us.

We’ve come a long way since the beginning of the pandemic, and we’ve been through a lot. Count your blessings, eat your good food, and enjoy your time off.

Much love to all of you and I hope you enjoy your holiday.

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- From Major Richard Ojeda USA (Ret.) and the entire No Dem Left Behind team!