Thanks!

Thanksgiving week is greeted with many different emotions throughout this country and it is the official/unofficial start of a traditional holiday season.

In the past we celebrated the day and or weekend by having a Thursday dinner with friends and family and then getting to sleep early so we can get up and bust some doors at a local retailer. Those who eschewed the "Black Friday" crowds in favor of a more restful day off might play with their kids or sit around a fire and talk. (You do remember sitting and talking, right? NO, NOT TEXTING - TALKING!)

The stores start putting out their 'countdown' calendars letting us know in no uncertain terms how many shopping days we have left until Christmas. The pressure builds. I think they chose Christmas because it was always easy to subtract from December 25th instead of having to figure out when Hanukkah was. (I think it's early this year!)

Every year this is a particularly bad time for those among us who are suffering from depression. The sight of others being happy tends to exacerbate their anxiety and the bad thoughts occasionally culminate in tragedy around the end of December.

We should all be on the lookout for anyone we feel might fall prey to feelings such as those because with the economy in the dumps there may be many more than in previous years.

I have suffered through my own year of living dangerously as I was a victim to economic pressures at my old job. Luckily I am not smart enough to get too depressed. But seriously, it is not good and it is important to lend a hand where possible.

Personally I could never consider doing myself harm. As my mother used to say, "I could never commit suicide, I'm way too much of a coward!"

So in the spirit of this post and going against my Eclectic Curmudgeon title allow me to list a few things of which I am thankful for. I hope you will add your own to the list.

I am thankful that:

... I still have my father around as he nears the 92nd anniversary of his birth.
He will be joining my family for Thanksgiving dinner. (I'm driving.)

... I am also picking up my (few years younger) mother-in-law (That's right, I said mother-in-law! Get over it.)

... My wife is a good intelligent woman and she still has her job.

... My two children are healthy and beautiful. (I dream of their bright futures regularly.)
AND they are both finished with the money pit of college - Whew.

... I still have much of my hair although more and more of it finds its way onto the brush every day.

... I have most of my health, 'nuff said.

... I can still see very well. (And it only cost $700 for the glasses!)

... I have some good friends. (Are there truly any other kind?)

... I can still finish the Sunday Times crossword puzzle - usually without too much help.

... I am able to find humor in the strangest of places which is good since more places are strange these days than ever before.

And most of all I am thankful that I can put all these things down on this blog, because maybe, just maybe someone who doesn't think they have anything to be thankful for will find something here that they missed. And if I can save someone from being miserable then I will be even more thankful.

Think of that and these two phrases during this holiday season - 'Save a life; save the world' & 'It is better to give than receive.' You may then have the best of all worlds.

Have a Happy Bird Day! (And a Happy Holiday Season)