Giving Thanks

Scott Kronick

As we enter the holiday season, with American Thanksgiving behind us, I thought I would take a moment and share a list of things I am most grateful for. I hope you will indulge me in doing this, and perhaps there is a lesson or two in some of these for many of the Monday Morning Mojo community.

  1. First, I am thankful to many of you in this Monday Morning Mojo community who have read, commented and shared your own lessons on the various blogs I have posted. What started out as an exercise of bi-monthly writing, has helped me look for the good that life serves up versus the drumbeat of worrying news we consume daily.  Photo: A Kronick, Buttlar, Krassenstein and friends Thanksgiving in Los Angeles, minus yours truly who celebrated in Beijing this year.                
  2. I am grateful to my late parents, Peter and Maxine Kronick, who not only provided a fantastic childhood, but also encouraged me to live overseas and broaden my worldview. I have had a wonderful ride so far, living half of my life in the US and the other half in Asia, and I am grateful to both of them for setting me on this path.
  3. This past week I celebrated 27 years of marriage to a wonderful life partner. In our relationship, Lisa is one of those women who hold up three quarters of the sky, or maybe 99% of the sky, and I would literally be lost without her. We also celebrated my daughter Jacquelin’s 25th birthday.  This young lady is funny, smart, a joy to be around, and I couldn’t have wished for a more loving daughter. Rounding out my immediate family is my son, Samuel, who has been my partner in sport, working from home, life advisor and investment consultant. This kid is a dream, and I am just grateful he still lets me on the basketball court with him.                                                                        .
  4. I am grateful to my siblings and their families, my in-laws and Lisa’s family, and my limited number of cousins. The Wei-Kronicks are surrounded by many people who are caring, smart and interesting to be around, and I enjoy every moment we spend together.  Photo:  My siblings and extended family.                                                                  
  5. I am most thankful to three remaining elders of the Kronick clan: Ricia Scarf, my only aunt and the matron of the Kronicks; Peggy Kronick, my benevolent stepmother who took such great care of my dad in his later years; and Gertrude Young, our surrogate mother, who taught us the way of the world. Photo:  Ricia Scharf and Peggy Kronick in Beijing.  Gertrude Young in Flint, Michigan.                                                               
  6. A most important shout out is due for Tate Myre given this Thanksgiving week. Tate was the brave young man at the Oxford High School shooting in Detroit who risked his life this past week to save others. While the Monday Morning Mojo largely refrains from political discourse, this gun violence event and the thousands of others we hear about regularly worries me sick about the proliferation of guns in the United States.
  7. I want to thank a former colleague of mine, Kathy Baird Westfall, who I worked with for years but only met in person once. Kathy is a Native American and broadened my views on her experiences growing up as a Native American in the United States. She shared this most meaningful post about Thanksgiving from another Native American that needs to be read by a larger audience.                                                       https://www.huffpost.com/entry/native-american-thanksgiving_n_5bf594b5e4b03b230f9df6ad?fbclid=IwAR1QW3MuKSibl_q6M7T8OBBoH4Pb9vVsGeRR-2l2pO8M7EfEYF3q4QWEk9U
  8. I am thankful to my many friends in China and throughout Asia for welcoming me into your homes, educating me on different worldviews, and tolerating my broken Chinese. I lucked out in being sent to Taiwan 30 years ago and it has been a great experience ever since. Today I have friends all over the world, and I am grateful to all of you for shaping who I am today. Photo: A few of my very first friends and colleagues in Beijing who helped create a fantastic experience for me.                                                              
  9. I am thankful for being a citizen of the diverse United States of America, and the freedoms we are offered. These freedoms have been afforded to us by the blood, sweat and tears of our forefathers. In advance of 2022, I am thankful to all those people on both sides of the political divide who are willing to understand each other and to work together to preserve the outstanding country we have. And I am hopeful our government representatives will begin to represent their constituencies, first and foremost, and put their partisan bullshit aside.                                         
  10. Finally, I am thankful for people like Stephen Sondheim, the American Composer who shaped modern theater as we know it today. Sondheim passed away on November 26. Sondheim made the world more colorful through his musicals, and everything I read and heard about him reflects someone who was extremely generous with his talent. Sharing one of my favorite songs, “Send in the Clowns”, from the play A Little Night Music, sung by Bernadette Peters.

Thank you for being part of this community and for indulging me. I hope you have a great week ahead.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
29 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Tres Kline
Tres Kline
2 years ago

Very poignant Scott, especially when you spoke of your folks and siblings. I hope our paths cross sometime in the future, so I can meet your wonderful family.

Barb godra
Barb godra
2 years ago

I love your insightful documentaries of your interesting life!

Shannon Rubin
Shannon Rubin
2 years ago

Wow, what a beautiful tribute to the people and ideals you hold dear. Thank you for sharing.

Nancy Epstrin
Nancy Epstrin
2 years ago

Scott,
Your words, your photos, your stories. So beautiful; so refreshing. Thank you for sharing. It brought back so many memories. Best wishes to you snd your lovely family. Be well.

Nancy Epstein
Nancy Epstein
2 years ago

Please excuse the error.
Epstein

Soc
Soc
2 years ago

Love Send in the Clowns. although i’ve always associated it with a female singer with big hair and voice. 🙂 i am now inspired to write my 10 things to be thankful for.

Rich Robinson
Rich Robinson
2 years ago

Yet another terrific post!

Marc Gellman
Marc Gellman
2 years ago

Like yourself, your parents had a great influence on me as a young man, in gaining a worldview, with the acceptance of welcoming into their home all people, no matter where they were from or background. Their love of art and culture certainly had a forever impact on me. Thank you for all your kind words and interesting stories over the past year. Peace, love, and happiness as we move forward with our lives, your cousin Marc.

BeijingBob
BeijingBob
2 years ago

Keep well Scotty, Lisa, Jaqueline and Samuel. Life races by and like your MoJo points out there are so many amazing family, friends and colleagues who have shaped and cared for us along the way. Best wishes to you all for 2022, and should you be fortunate enough to make London, I’m only 30 minutes train ride away. Take care old friend

George Smith
George Smith
2 years ago

Scott, such a powerful post. Glad to be your friend and so glad I was introduced to so many of your friends over the years in China.

Peggy
Peggy
2 years ago

Beautifully written Scott as always, thank you for letting me come into the family so easily. much love💕💕💕💕

sue
2 years ago

Very happy to see kronicks post very enlightening. Great 😊
Sue Rosenstein

Ricia Scharf
Ricia Scharf
2 years ago

Thank you, my handsome nephew Scott. You truly know how to charm this old lady!(me) This “ Giving Thanks “ Monday Morning Mojo, was so beautifully written. Of course, you know how proud I am of you!!👍. ( I cry every time I see a picture of my BROTHER!!🥲)’ and… I give thanks for having such a wonderful loving Kronick family. ❤️❤️💕💕🙏🙏

Joyce Beach
Joyce Beach
2 years ago

Thanks, Scott, for sharing your thankfulness and your dear family. You write so beautifully about them. You’re an inspiration.

Ned Blum
Ned Blum
2 years ago

Beautiful writing brother. So many special memories and photos.

George
2 years ago

Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wished to say that I have really
enjoyed browsing your blog posts. After all I will be subscribing to
your rss feed and I hope you write again very soon!

Recommended Posts

Share This Post

Subscribe to My Weekly Newsletter

Tags

Social Feed