Sinise’s journey of grateful service to fellow Americans

The American fondness for pumpkin pie around this time of the year, the tale goes, dates to our second president, John Adams. The family apparently had such a tasty recipe it “raised a well-fed race of jurists, scholars, orators and presidents.”

Now that’s something to be grateful for as we settled at the Thanksgiving table. But that’s not even close to why Highland Park High School, Illinois, grad Gary Sinise is grateful.

He spells it out in his book “Grateful American,” part autobiography, part discourse on how to make a difference for those around us. Subtitled, “A Journey from Self to Service,” the actor, musician, director and co-founder of Chicago’s renowned Steppenwolf Theatre Company, gives thanks daily for being American.

It’s a set of values honed in the Midwest and disparaged a lot these days. Too many of us take for granted what we have. That’s something to consider on Thanksgiving.

This country and our freedoms are special. It’s a mantra Sinise, 64, returns to repeatedly in “Grateful American,” published earlier this year.

“The country of our birth allowed us any number of freedoms that we subconsciously used and enjoyed and benefited from, even though we didn’t realize it,” he writes. Freedom of speech, assembly, religion, travel, work, education all melded to form the beginnings of his journey from self to service.

All those freedoms led not only to co-founding the Steppenwolf troupe, but to stellar pursuits in film, television and the musical group the Lt. Dan Band, named for his career-making character Lt. Dan Taylor in the beloved movie, “Forrest Gump.” His acting in the 1994 release led to an Academy Award nomination and kicked off further roles on the big screen — “Apollo 13” among them — and the lead in “CSI: NY” for nine television seasons.

In between acting, directing, band gigs (in some years the Lt. Dan Band has performed upward of 50 benefit shows a year) and helping raise a family with actress Moira Harris, he’s managed to establish the Gary Sinise Foundation. The organization serves and honors America’s military, wounded warriors, veterans, first responders and their families. It’s a noble cause.

But it wasn’t so easy in the beginning.

Sinise, now a California resident, admits he was an aimless slacker and stoner in high school until one of those defining moments many of us have faced in our lives.

For him, it was the road taken, challenged by a high school drama teacher to try out for a production of “West Side Story.” That was the beginning of a trek which has led Sinise from the stage to becoming a philanthropist, something he relishes.

His epiphany to serve those who in the past might have been forgotten was having relatives in the military and the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001.

Since then, Sinise has devoted a large part of his life to entertaining U.S. troops in various countries as part of USO shows; helping deliver school supplies to Iraqi and Afghani children; making sure the kids of military and first responders wounded or killed in service to their country and neighbors have some good times; and helping those who need help.

“My mission is one of respect, of honor, of gratitude,” he says. “It’s a mission of serving other people. Of helping us never forget.”

America has given Sinise the opportunity to embark on a life of service. For many, that’s a hokey purpose.

We should ignore those who would tarnish our ideals and heed his call to make the country and the world a better place.

And have a second slice of pumpkin pie.