Sometimes it's hard to imagine you have things to be thankful for. If your roof leaks, it's hard to be thankful you have a roof over your head. But there are many people who wish that could have a leaky roof rather than no roof at all.
When your job is stressful and you work crazy hours, it's hard to be thankful about that. But then you think about all the wonderful people you work with. You think about how you used to feel so lost at your job, but now you feel like you're an integral part of the team. You think of people who don't have a job or who are forced to work at a job they hate, that doesn't pay them well. It's hard not to be thankful when you think of it like that.
If you think about how your life didn't turn out how you planned it to turn out, it might be easy to think you don't have reason to be thankful. But you do. You have people in your life who love you. People who can't imagine their life without you in it. Pretty hard to not be thankful for that.
I'm not the biggest optimist in the world. I've always been a bit of a glass-is-half-empty guy. But most of the time it's a bit tongue-in-cheek. I always say that it just doesn't make sense to be an optimist, because then you're always disappointed. If you expect the best to happen and it does, you already expected it anyway. Yet if it doesn't go the way you wanted, you're disappointed. Whereas if you're a pessimist, you're pleasantly surprised if something goes well. And if it doesn't, you get the pleasure of telling all the optimists around you that you were right.
In all honesty, I usually try to live by a simple rule: Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. It seems like a good rule to live by. Although I don't always adhere to it. On days like today, though, I really do try to focus on the things I have to be thankful for.
Oh sure, my dog likes to bark at the neighbors, we have to carry him upstairs every night and we have to plan our entire schedule around him. But then I sit down to watch some tv at the end of a long day, he hops up onto the couch next to me, plops his head onto my lap and sighs, relaxing his whole body, content to be with his papa.
Oh sure, the sports teams I follow can never win it all. But then I think, hey ... at least I don't live in Cleveland.
Oh sure, my Dish reception is getting worse and it seems like we lose the signal altogether every time it rains. But at least I have television. Actually, that one really is annoying. I really need to call Dish to have them come and fix that.
Now it's time to drive to my sister's house and enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with my family. Another thing to be thankful for. Lot's of food, wine and sarcasm. Three of my favorite things. Did I mention I'm thankful for sarcasm? I'm very thankful for sarcasm. I know you're all very shocked to know that about me. Wait. I just did it again.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!