"This is nothing to be thankful for."

   In his book, 'This Just In', reporter Bob Schieffer writes about something that took place on Thanksgiving. He had recently been hired by CBS to anchor the Morning Show. This was a show that would be broadcast on weekday mornings and would originate from New York. This meant that he and his family would have to move from Washington DC to New York. He broke this news to his daughters over Thanksgiving dinner. I will quote in his own words the reaction of one of them.
  "Susan let out a blood-curdling scream, jumped up from the table, ran into the front yard and began rolling around on the wet grass. 'Why would you tell us on Thanksgiving?' she shouted. 'This is nothing to be thankful for.'"
  This is pretty much how I feel about this nearly past year.  I'm not minded to jump up from my computer desk and go outside to roll around on the grass. (It's 35 degrees outside and there is a little snow on the ground.) Her response of, "This is nothing to be thankful for," very accurately describes how I feel.
  The year started out with the news that the pharmacy would be open on all holidays except Christmas Day. For the first time in almost 20 years, I could be working on Thanksgiving Day and New Years Day. These were two holidays that I had always had off as the pharmacy was closed. Now we would be open for a few hours. In my eyes you might as well be open the whole day. Working four hours would prevent any travel to family and any ability to cook the meal so we might as well just be open at least 8 hours to make it a total loss. Then I remembered who I was. I may work in retail,but I'm a health care provider. We can't take holidays off. That's the way it is.We have to be available when needed, something I knew when I started the career. Once I remembered that, it was no longer an issue to me
  Like many people I suffered though this election year. Fortunately I was working most of the time so I didn't see many of the TV ads and "debates" that were being broadcast. It seemed to be less about ideas and how the various people running for office were going to solve the many challenges we currently face in our country and more about mud slinging and talking about what awful people the other candidates are. It seemed and sounded like a group of squabbling junior high students than a group of men and women seeking the highest leadership position in this country.
  I had hoped once the election was over the hateful language and new accusations would stop. It hasn't. In fact I think things may have become worse. There is vandalism and verbal violence. One side is rejoicing in the fact that finally they will get what they want. The other side is fearful and angry. The out pouring of sheer hatred from both sides is amazing and sickening. What the heck are we becoming anyway?
  My cousin, Joyce died in September. Actually she is my mother's cousin, but a cousin is a cousin. I have seen Joyce since I was a teenager. Even though I lost touch with her I always felt comforted by knowing she was around. She and I are the two "black sheep" in my mother's side of the family. We are politely described as "different". We both like to write and had different interests from the other women in the family. She once paid me the supreme complement of telling me that I "paint pictures with words". As long as she was alive I knew I was not alone in my unconventional ways. (at least as far as that side of the family was concerned.) Now she's gone and I am the last one standing.....
  Nevertheless, it is Thanksgiving and we have to be thankful. My faith teaches me that I must show gratitude in all things. I think science has proven that grateful people are happier and healthier people.
  How do I do this? Well, sometimes you just have to go back to basics. You have to think of the simple things. I'm grateful for my house which has kept us warm and dry for the last nine years. I'm grateful for the tea I'm drinking and the cup that I'm using. I'm grateful for this computer which allows me to write and to share what I've written. I'm grateful for the devotional book that is on my Ipad (another thing for which I am grateful) and the women who suggested it to me. I'm grateful for my kitchen and that once I'm done writing I can make some popovers for breakfast. I'm grateful for the refrigerator and all the food that is in it right now.
  I'm grateful for Scamp and Colby who are such good feline friends and who sometimes give me a break by writing this column. I'm grateful for sparkling water and ice. I'm grateful for fudge. I'm grateful for the blessing of good friends like Dana, Carol, Helen, Sarah, Susan and President Campbell to name a few. I'm grateful that I did get to know my cousin Joyce while she was alive and for her encouragement to me when I was younger. I'm grateful for my Great Aunt Christy who has been gone from this earth for many years, but still remains my standard for what a good woman should be. Most of all I am grateful for C and his live and kindness to me.
  As I sit here and list a few of the things for which I am grateful, I realize that there are a great many. Much more than the trials from this past year. The good in this case does outnumber the bad. It turns out that there is much to be thankful for after all.....