Is it just me, or does it feel like Thanksgiving week arrived suddenly this year? And how did it get here so fast?
With so many momentous events over the past few weeks (elections, shootings, wildfires, and more), it feels a bit surreal — and incongruous, even — to think about pausing for the sake of giving thanks.
But, as it is here, I have some thoughts, which are perhaps a bit more meditative than normal, because of how this holiday works for tax professionals.
You see, the December holidays are wonderful, of course — but they are a calm before a big storm (tax season). We’re usually furiously prepping for the season, and seeking to understand the last-minute tax code changes that Congress often foists upon us, even this year on top of (still) receiving guidance from the IRS about everything Congress passed LAST year.
But such is our life.
And, I imagine, it might feel difficult for YOU to pause and give thanks. If you are tapped into our present cultural and political moment, it’s easy to find reasons for frustration and cynicism.
But, may I remind you of something?
It was right in the thick of horrendous civil war that President Lincoln proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November as a national day of Thanksgiving which should take place every year.
His entire Thanksgiving proclamation (written by his Secretary of State, William Seward) is worth taking in, or even reading aloud, but the opening is particularly powerful:
“The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added …”
I believe Lincoln understood a fundamental truth in the human soul: how we choose to see our circumstances often dictates the state of our hearts — and, thereby, our future circumstances. After all, if a war-torn nation can turn its eyes upward — so can we.
For my part, I’m simply grateful for YOU.
I’m grateful for your trust, for your attention to my blog ramblings (which are taking on a bit of a different flavor this week), for your allowing us to serve you, for your referrals … for so many things.
I don’t forget that it’s people like you in Redding who enable me to do what I do — to breathe life and hope into families, and their financial situations. And to help them enjoy the fruit of their labors, while carrying the peace-of-mind that the ever-grasping hand of taxation reaching into their pockets is minimized.
So thank you. For everything.
And finally, on a “tax note”, allow me to remind you that although we are busy as we head into the end of the year, we will always make time to help you save on taxes. Give us a call at (530) 223-2277, and let’s get your 2018 tax return set up to save you the most that is legally and ethically possible.
There are lots of options, and we’re right here for you…
Until next week then,
Dennis Fritz
(530) 223-2277
Dennis Fritz CPA