FROM THE MAYOR’S OFFICE – With a Grateful Heart

Gratitude is a meaningful measure, as it means the recognition of something that may otherwise be taken for granted. Thanksgiving is almost upon us. I always think of this day as a moment to reflect on the things in our lives that we love and accept with gratitude. Here are some of mine I’d like to share.

I am grateful for the life that I have found in our beautiful and ever-changing Valley. My wife, my son, our menagerie of pets fill my heart every day. The ability to do business in my hometown and to share that activity with my sisters and brother is truly fulfilling. To be part of a community, to accept the challenge of leadership, to try to find clarity, truth and to be a fair and open-minded representative is difficult, sometimes complex, but always rewarding and often humbling. I am grateful for the Warwick that was, the Warwick that is and the desire by so many to make a better Warwick for the future. We are a physically beautiful place, but most importantly we share friends and neighbors who care for each other – it’s their beauty that emanates throughout this Valley. I am thankful for every Warwick voice to remind us that we possess the great gift of freedom of speech, thought, purpose and spiritual preference.

Even on the worst days when the world seems on end, I find strength in the land, the hillside, the woodlands and the stretches of long horizons. I’m gladdened by the sound of daily life in a place that is real and that seems forever young and creative. Imagination is often the thing that expands our world and I’m grateful that imagination in Warwick is an ingredient we embrace.

In this year of the Village’s celebration, it has drawn me closer to the very things that are important. We are a community of Warwickians from our oldest, most venerated citizens, to the newest family in their first home. It is that continuum of life and inclusion that gives this place a remarkable richness and a brightness that is intangible.

These are just some of the things I am grateful for and there are so many more. I feel very lucky and very blessed to be living in a place so filled with possibilities and dreams that do often come true.

On behalf of the Village Board of Trustees, the entire staff at Village Hall and our Department of Public Works, we wish all a very Happy Thanksgiving.