Every year, around Thanksgiving, we have a Gratefulness Party for all of our Clearfield employees and their families. And every year, I’m reminded of just how much I have to be grateful for.

I am blessed to be surrounded by people who genuinely care about what they do. It is such a gift to work alongside smart, dedicated people who are committed to doing great work. Their families often play a major role in the commitment of our employees. (A variation on the adage “Happy wife, happy life,” we like to think “Happy home, happy work.”)

For this year’s Gratefulness Party, we returned to the scene of last year’s successful event: Dave & Buster’s. It was so gratifying to see nearly 500 people laughing and enjoying one another’s company.

What has always struck me is that no matter how different we are from one another, our children all seem to laugh alike. There’s a real lesson in the fact that no matter our differences, we all share that mutual bond. Laughter is a common language that bridges all ages, cultures and borders.

I’m grateful for that.