It's Thanksgiving. I am thankful I live in paradise. As a new homeowner, Home Depot and BrandSmart are thankful I live here, too. For lots of people, the holidays are times of family tradition, hanging out with people you only get to see a couple times a year, and for some, seeing relatives you would never hang out with, except for the fact they are relatives. </p><p>When I moved here I started a personal tradition for Thanksgiving. Dive. This is my third Thanksgiving in the Keys, and my very close friends from Richmond joined me in my tradition last year. They immediately booked a return trip for this year. Wind permitting, we'll be on the Spiegel Grove again on Thursday morning, which will be yesterday when this hits the newspaper box.</p><p>Some traditions just seem to evolve with little or no effort. Especially traditions that involve passions. So, when I moved here I made a pact with myself to always dive on Thanksgiving Day. Just because I can. I'd rather see the parade at Molasses than at Macy's. After all, how many times do I need to see a giant blow-up doll of Snoopy? </p><p>I'd rather take a look at the table in the forward compartment on the Spiegel Grove than set place settings in my diminutive dining room. Every time I go out to the reef, it's a different parade, or a different table has been set by the inhabitants. I bet they are thankful too - that they are alive and well and nobody tried to eat them for Thanksgiving dinner.</p><p>So the traditional Thanksgiving I enjoyed with my parents and siblings has been replaced with a Keys Thanksgiving, and that's just fine with me. I went back through my images from the first two years of this new tradition, and the memories from those two days helped me put my life in the Keys in perspective. It was fun to recall what stage of progression to total Keys lifestyle assimilation I was at in each of those years. I think we can all relate to the perspective concept. If we stop for a moment and look back at the last several holiday seasons, maybe some of the things we could not understand at the time have fallen into place. Maybe some have not. And maybe there are things we have no clue about that will result from talking to that person we haven't seen in a while, or finding out second cousin Claude is a diver - and has a boat! </p><p>I can also tell I'm assimilating to the Keys by my images. A lot of stuff I shot the in the first two years would not make it past the first edit now. It's compelled me to go back and delete a lot of images that I thought were acceptable at the time. </p><p>Perhaps that's part of what traditions give to us. For me this simple, new tradition provides a time to assess my circumstances and make adjustments.</p><p>Last year I was looking forward to the Pennekamp photo contest to see where I'd place. I had no idea the contest would later provide an opportunity to write this column. And a truly delightful part of this last year has been meeting and interviewing the amazing Keys residents I have found along the way. They are an integral part of my transition to Keys life.</p><p>Another point of Keys lifestyle assimilation: in Richmond I used to drive 18 miles each way just to get in the pool and practice photography by shooting toy plastic fish I sunk with gravel. Now, driving 18 miles to another dive shop can sometimes be a real pain. That's total acclimation. </p><p>This writing gig has also piqued my interest in marine biology and conservation, and provided some unique experiences. Going into the Aquarius Reef Base during an active mission was one of those unforeseen items. And getting involved with the petition to make Snapper Ledge a Sanctuary Preservation Area was another. Working with the Coral Restoration Foundation has also been an important piece of the [Key lime] pie.</p><p>I just knew I had to give the photo contest my best effort and see where the chips would fall. You never know. You may end up with new experiences you could have never though of on your own if you pursue your passion.</p><p>My friends Jody and Bruce and I will have another good week, wind permitting, enjoying our tradition. I left a family tradition behind, but started a new one when I came here. No matter where you are, or what your passion is, gratitude for something traditional can build a connection to feeling like a little kid inside when we look at snoopy all blown up, hear the wonderful musicians that perform along the route of the Macy's day parade, or go jump in the ocean. </p><p>Whatever your tradition for Thanksgiving is, I hope you have a great one with your friends and family.</p><p><i>Tim Grollimund is a freelance photographer and PADI divemaster based in Key Largo. He can be reached at tim@timgimages.com or through his web site at www.timgimages.com. Keep tabs on his activity for the Coral Restoration Foundation at www.timgimages.com/crlogbook.</i>