It’s a simple question, passed around the table time after time: “What are you thankful for this year?” We may get tired of hearing it around this time of year, but no matter the season, taking a moment to reflect on life’s most precious gifts can give us new perspective and remind us what truly matters. In the spirit of the holiday, we asked members of the WDAV staff to share what’s filling their hearts with gratitude this Thanksgiving.
Will Keible
Director of Marketing and Corporate Support
“I’m lucky – I have so much to be thankful for. I am blessed with a wonderful family, caring friends, good health, great colleagues, and a job that allows me to do meaningful work. What more could one ask for? Well, there is one thing for which I’d like to give a special shout out, and that is how thankful I am for all of the artists and musicians in the world. Art, in all of its forms, adds color, beauty, and depth to our existence. Not a day goes by during which I’m not moved by something someone has created, yet rarely do I ever have the chance to thank the person who made it. So, here it is. THANK YOU TO ALL ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS – PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE – FOR SHARING YOUR GIFT WITH THE WORLD.”
Heidi North
Administrative Assistant
“I am deeply grateful for my family, my colleagues, and my friends, especially during the pandemic. I am surrounded by a lot of supportive and kind-hearted individuals which made our surreal reality over the last year and a half much more bearable.”
Mary Lathem
Marketing & Digital Communications Specialist
“Everyone in the office is probably tired of hearing about her, but I have to be honest: this year I’ve been especially grateful for my cat, Flora. She’s been the best little buddy and source of comfort over the last year and a half, always following me from room to room, hiding in the laundry, and making me laugh. When I was working from home, she got so used to Zoom meetings that now she needs her own chair every time I’m on a call (otherwise she’ll yell about it). She’s completely ridiculous and I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
Jay Ahuja
Corporate Sponsorship Representative
“I’m thankful we made it through the past 20 months relatively unscathed and not to have gone through this alone. Without Karen and our dogs, Tosh and Jango, I probably would have gone nuts. I’m thankful our families are healthy and we are too. I’m thankful our friends are fun, generous and caring. I’m thankful for music, art, books, newspapers, magazines, movies and sports. I’m thankful that we have concerts, travel, and cultural events of all kinds to look forward to. I’m thankful we work for organizations run by the best kind of human beings who look out for our best interests. I’m thankful for our co-workers, clients and volunteers. I’m thankful for meaningful volunteer work that connects me with wonderful people and sustains my creative juices. Lastly, I’m thankful I never joined Facebook.”
Ted Weiner
Music Director
“I am thankful for the Fall colors and the falling leaves that cover my car and interfere with my windshield wipers. It reminds me that life isn’t always so convenient just because it is beautiful.
I am thankful for being so lucky to work with the best group of people in all the 35 years I have been with WDAV and Davidson College.
Most of all, I am thankful for my good health and that of my two grown daughters, as well as my elderly siblings. Health… the most important thing. Without it, everything is just plain… doo-doo.”
Kendra Intihar
Assistant General Manager & Director of Community Outreach
“Over the course of the past year, many people I love have experienced profound losses. For better or for worse, this has made me unusually reflective about all the things in my life I’m grateful for. In 2021, I made a promise to myself to be intentional about noticing little bits of joy in ordinary places. Here are a few little things I’m grateful for this year:
- the scented candle aisle at TJ Maxx
- the sound of my toddler quietly singing the ABC’s to lull himself to sleep at night
- mismatched linens
- the way pothos and potato vines don’t apologize for the beautiful way they take up space
- late night philosophical and theological conversations with my husband
- independent coffee and book shops
- getting random middle-of the day texts from my teenager
- hammock chairs
- the church bells across the woods from my house
- the fact that my larger-than-life eight year old isn’t yet “too old” to ask me for a snuggle
- re-reading the books my grandfather once read and finding his notes in the margins
- Nutella
- weekly lunch dates with my mother… and her hugs
- the back porch at our house (pictured)
- sentimental stories
Of course, I could keep this list going for hours. I’ll sum up, though, by saying that, as always, I’m so very thankful for my incredible colleagues here at WDAV. They are the smartest, kindest, most genuine people I’ve ever had the privilege of working with, and they have topped my ‘thankful things’ list every year since I began working here in 2013.”