Thanks For A Festive Christmas

Imagine a home filled with family and friends, gathering around the fire with cookies and candies, and the Christmas tree in all its glory with colorfully-wrapped gifts beneath it. You can smell the Christmas turkey with all the fixings cooking, and then, finally, everyone sits down to enjoy a wonderful holiday dinner. If there ever was a time for gaiety and feasting, it is Christmastime. But, what about the lone truckers who are not able to celebrate Christmas with their family because they are out on the road hauling freight? Where would the Christmas celebrations be without the faithful truckers? There would be no Christmas tree or decorations, no cheery fire, and not one piece of sweets to stuff in the stockings. That does not sound very festive, but that is just the start – we could not travel to the dinner because there would be no gasoline to run the vehicles, the store shelves would be empty, so erase the thought of a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, and there would be no gifts. The economy of America would literally grind to a fast halt. That is a frightening thought. It is true that all we have in our homes is due to truckers hauling freight! Sometimes, we (myself included) get so busy and wrapped up with our families that we do not realize the people that truly bring us Christmas are the faithful few that are hauling freight on the highways and byways of this country. I know I am preaching to the choir here, but for those of you reading this who do not drive a truck, imagine yourself inside an 18-wheeler hauling a load from New York to Washington – through the snow squalls of the Eastern seaboard; the blizzards and driving winds of the Great Plains; and the fog and rainstorms of the Northwest – just to make sure others have a great Christmas. So, this season, when you see the trucks on the road, say a prayer for those unsung heroes to thank them for the sacrifices they make for us. May your burdens be light and your blessings many – Merry Christmas and thank you!