A Thanksgiving Reflection for the IBM i Community: Gratitude, Growth, and the People Who Make It All Work
Today’s Coffee: A warm mug of Caribou Coffee Daybreak—bright, smooth, and grounding. A good fit for a day centered on reflection and gratitude.
Thanksgiving is an American holiday, but gratitude isn’t bound by geography. Whether you’re in the U.S. carving a turkey, in Europe sipping afternoon tea, or in Asia wrapping up a long workday, this time of year gives us an opportunity we rarely take: a moment to pause, breathe, and acknowledge the people and experiences that shape our lives.
As someone who has worked in software development for three decades—and now spends most of my time supporting, guiding, and growing the developers around me—I’ve learned something simple but important:
We build systems, but people are the ones who make everything work.
On IBM i, we talk a lot about reliability, uptime, legacy code, modernization, tooling, and performance. But none of that exists without the developers who maintain the code, the analysts who understand the business, the admins who keep the systems alive, the leaders who remove roadblocks, and the families who support us through long nights and production emergencies.
This season, I’m choosing to step back and acknowledge the things that make our work—and our lives—meaningful.
1. Gratitude for the People We Work With
Every team has its mentors, its quiet experts, its problem-solvers, its steady hands, and its future leaders.
We rarely thank them directly. We assume they know. But they don’t always.
To the developers who stay curious, ask for help, and help others: thank you.
To the teams pushing modernization forward even when it’s uncomfortable: thank you.
To the folks who challenge old assumptions and make us better: thank you.
If you’re reading this, consider sending a message today to someone who made your year easier.
A sincere thank-you goes further than you think.
2. Gratitude for the Work We Get to Do
It’s easy to focus on stress, deadlines, outages, and technical debt.
But the truth is, being a developer—especially on a platform as resilient as IBM i—is a privilege.
We get to solve problems.
We get to learn constantly.
We get to build things that outlast us.
We get to support companies that feed families and serve communities.
Not everyone in the world has that opportunity.
Even fewer get the chance to do it with systems as stable and trusted as IBM i.
3. Gratitude for Change, Even When It’s Hard
This year, I’ve talked a lot about modernization, AI tools, VS Code, Project Bob, and the importance of evolving our skills.
Change is uncomfortable.
Growth is uncomfortable.
But being uncomfortable means we’re moving forward.
If you’ve learned something new this year—big or small—be grateful.
If you’re pushing through resistance, be proud of that effort.
If you’re guiding others through change, remember: leadership is service.
4. Gratitude for Life Outside the Green Screen
No matter where you are in the world, this season is a good reminder:
We are more than our jobs.
We are husbands, wives, parents, sons, daughters, friends, coaches, creators, musicians, travelers, learners.
I’m thankful for my family—for the support, love, and strength they give me every single day.
I’m thankful for the health I’m working hard to reclaim.
And I’m thankful for the community around me, from my local team to developers I’ve only met online.
Take inventory of the things outside of work that bring you joy.
Those are often the things that keep us whole.
Final Sips
Gratitude doesn’t require a holiday.
And it doesn’t end when the leftovers are gone.
Whether you're celebrating Thanksgiving in the U.S. or simply taking a quiet moment wherever you are, I hope you find something—small or large—to appreciate today.
Be thankful for the opportunities you’ve had.
Be thankful for the people who stand beside you.
Be thankful for the growth, even the uncomfortable parts.
And be thankful for the chance to build something meaningful, one day at a time.
From my family to yours—wherever you are—thank you for being part of this journey.
The RPG Blend continues because of people like you.
Comments
Post a Comment