There's always something for which we can be grateful

  It's been a rough year. People are getting shot everywhere. Terrorists are wrecking havoc wherever they can. Refugees trying to flee violence have nowhere to go. There's unkindness and hate just about everywhere.
  Now it's Thanksgiving. It really doesn't look like there is much to be thankful for.
  It's been truly hard for me to feel grateful for anything lately. We're training in new staff at work which means my short day is nine hours. I'm running at top speed  all the time and feeling like I get very little done. I came down with a head cold that just won't go away and I haven't had time to practice my instruments, get my summer clothes out of my closet or knit or crochet anything.
  Can we just cancel this holiday?  I know the retail outlets wouldn't mind. Thanksgiving is just an impediment anyway. If we skip it, then we can so straight on to Christmas which is the more important holiday. Right?
  Wrong. We really need to pause for a moment and be grateful. Those who are lead happier and healthier lives. There is research to back this up. We could certainly use a little more positive and a little less negative in the world today.
  It's hard to feel grateful when your to-do list and home and work resemble the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It's hard to feel grateful when you wake up coughing in the night and can't get back to sleep. It's hard to feel grateful when all you see is snarky comments about your faith, your president and your favourite football team.
  Doggone it I am going to find something to be grateful for if it is the last thing I do today! (Being grateful that things aren't worse doesn't count.)
  I am grateful for electricity. It allows me to do a lot of things that I wouldn't be able to do like write this column. I'm grateful for all the people who work in power plants that generate it and for those who invented the power lines that make it widely available. I can easily cook food, clean my house and walk without hurting myself in the night all due to electricity.
  I'm grateful for wood. My house is made of wood, my floors are made of wood and our instruments are made of wood. I'm grateful for the beauty of the trees in my yard and the shade they provide in the summer. I'm grateful for the hickory floor we have. It's easy to clean. There is no carpet woven that can match the beauty of the natural grain of wood. There is no electronic sound that can duplicate the sound of instruments made with care by skilled craftspeople and played by those who love music.
  I'm grateful for our cats. They are truly amazing creatures. The patterns in their fur are unique, no cat looks exactly like another. I like to watch them play and listen to them purr. I'm grateful for the times that they climb into my lap for some cuddle time. They provide me opportunities to learn patience.
  I'm grateful for wool, cotton, linen, bamboo and anything that can be made into yarn or thread. I'm grateful for looms, sewing machines, knitting machines,needles and crochet hooks. There are so many beautiful things that can be created with yarn and thread. We can have beauty all around us from the sheets on our beds to the curtains on our windows. I know that I always smile a little when I look at the polka dot sheets that are on our bed. How can you possibly look at them and not feel a little more cheerful? Knitting and crochet are also healthy hobbies. You can't eat if you are knitting and needlework has been shown to decrease stress.
  I'm grateful for teachers. All teachers. A good teacher can change someone's life. I know my life would be much different if I hadn't been influenced by two teachers. I'm grateful there are still people that truly believe in education and spend their lives helping others learn.
  I'm grateful for chocolate. M&Ms can do wonders on a really bad day. I have some tea with cacao in it that lets me have a little chocolate without too many calories. On a really cold day there is nothing like hot chocolate with marshmallows. I'm grateful for the people who run small local candy stores that make their own chocolate. Some of these people are truly creative. They come up with combos I never would have thought of.
  I'm profoundly grateful for C. He has brought so much more to my life than I can possibly imagine. He puts up with me. I'm not sure how he does it. I'm grateful for his example and his kindness to others especially those who are down. I'm grateful that we are partners and that I get to walk through this world with him.
   Even when things look cloudy, there is always something for which you can be thankful. Maybe that something is small and easily overlooked. Take the time to look anyway. It will make you feel better.