"We Give Thanks for Family, Friends, and Murder" by June Shaw

During this holiday season, can we really give thanks for all of these things?

Of course.

Why not?

Actually some people may have small families, or they may have no family that they know of. But most of us do have family members that we love, and for them, we are grateful.

And we have friends. Sure, some friends are closer than others, but for all of them, we give thanks.

Then there are the murders. We like them, too--as long as they remain in our movies and books. Why? Someone always makes the murderers accountable for their evil deeds. They let us know the world is right. The good will achieve; the bad will be punished. What is right will overcome evil.

Those of us who write about killings do so with an awareness that our good guy or gal will go after the villain and make him pay for what he broke. That's what store owners want: If you break it, you pay for it. We feel the same way about life.

Readers of mysteries want that too. If someone in a story creates a major problem in someone else's life, they yearn to see that person punished. It is only after the punishment occurs that the world seems right. The future looks more promising.

Thus while we all plunge ourselves deeper into the merry holiday season, let us always remember to thank those who care about us--our families and friends. And also those who create worlds in which good battles evil and always overcomes, which strenghtens our faith and knowledge that another day will look brighter.