Thanksgiving

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is just around the corner. It's one of my favorite holidays because it's a time for fellowship with my family. We always have the usual fare, although lately the turkey has taken a backseat to the roasted oysters, quail, doves and duck that find their way onto the Thanksgiving table. In my family, land ownership plays a big role in our Thanksgiving festivities. In South Carolina, there is a short duck and dove season that comes in the week of Thanksgiving and deer season has already been in full effect. My father owns 118 acres of land in Hampton County that contains a 50 acre black-water swamp, teeming with all kinds of wildlife. One of my favorite memories takes place during a morning duck hunt there. It was a brisk and breezy Thanksgiving morning, when my father, John, and brother, Daniel, and I set off in the swamp to shoot wood ducks. The hunt was great, as we all collected our limits, but what I'll never forget was captured in the moments before sunrise. I looked up at a full moon framed by leafless oak branches waving back and forth in the wind. The trees groaning and creaking were soothing to my ears. All of my thoughts were washed away as I experienced a sense of peacefulness that is difficult for me to describe. From time to time, when I need a moment to clear my mind, I go back to that Thanksgiving morning. I can feel the breeze, hear the sounds of the trees and see them waving and it brings me peace. The next time you are outdoors, stop and take a moment. Soak in all of God's creation and hopefully you too will have an experience like the one I just shared.

Jason Burbage is the Director of Operations for Carolina Land Realty.