A Meaningful Message For Thanksgiving (2015)

Subject: A Thanksgiving Ode to the Turkey

Whether you and your loved ones gather for a traditional feast or more exotic fare, it’s hard to think about Thanksgiving without the noble turkey coming to mind. As we pause to give thanks and enjoy a break from life’s more serious labors, we thought we’d share some food for thought about this understated creature who Benjamin Franklin lauded as “though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage.”

One of the biggest birds still roaming woodlands and farmlands alike, consider the turkey’s many other admirable traits:

Turkeys are patient. Turkeys are often mistaken as flightless birds. That’s probably because they don’t fly very often. It takes a lot of energy to get that much bird airborne, so they typically only do so when it makes good sense. When they do rise up, it’s a sight to behold, as they can reach speeds of up to 55 mph.

Turkeys are best understood by heeding the evidence. Turkeys aren’t to be trifled with, especially the gobblers, or a hen defending her brood. But the risks can be managed by knowing what to look for. When a turkey’s wattle or snood turns deep red, that’s solid evidence that you’d best watch your step. (The wattle is their extra neck flesh; the snood is that dangly thing hanging off their beak.)

Turkeys are efficient. Once a turkey does end up as part of your holiday festivities, it makes for efficient nutrition. Four ounces of turkey breast offers 30-35 grams of protein with less than a gram of fat, and substantial immune-boosting B vitamins and zinc.

Turkeys offer wide diversification. Which is your favorite: Roasted or deep-fried? Classic herb-stuffed or Cajun turducken? Drumstick or breast? Or maybe you’re one of those outliers who fancy the neck or the gizzard. A turkey offers a diversity of form and flavor to go around … and that’s before we even consider the creative possibilities for the leftovers.

We admit, some of our analogies between Ben Franklin’s Bird of Courage and our disciplined evidence-based investment strategy may be a bit of a stretch. The point is, as you take time to savor time spent with family and friends this Thanksgiving, we hope you’ll think of us with a smile – as we are thinking of you and yours.

Warmest Wishes,

The Team at Stowe Financial Planning, LLC