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Finding our own reasons to be thankful

It might seem like it’s hard to be thankful right now.

Most of us have taken our masks off, but COVID-19 hasn’t gone away. Vaccines that guard against the disease have certainly helped, but their effectiveness fades after a while, and sometimes people who have had the shots still become ill.

The holiday season is upon us, but we’re being told many of the things that make these special occasions merry and bright may be in short supply. Nevermind that Christmas isn’t supposed to be about material things — we all want to give and receive those special gifts that we’ve become so accustomed to.

Those supply shortages also mean that the things we can get are increasingly more expensive. From clothing to tools and even groceries, costs are going up.

Gasoline prices keep climbing, too, making it more and more expensive to go anywhere And this comes just at the time when many of us want to travel to be with loved ones.

Everywhere we turn, it seems someone is dissatisfied with something. Mandates — requiring masks, vaccines or COVID testing — are opposed by many. All across the country, people are attending school board meetings and making accusations and demands, leaving board members an administrators to navigate a very difficult path between student/staff safety and public opinion.

Politics still colors just about everything we do and say. Social media is filled with rants, complaints and long diatribes about people’s frustrations.

So, how do we face all of these things and still find reasons to be thankful?

For me, that’s actually a pretty simple task. I just look around and realize how lucky I really am.

First, I am thankful for my wonderful husband, Mike, who is truly my partner in life. We are one of those couples who really enjoy being together, working on projects, watching our favorite shows, cooking or just talking about whatever comes to mind. Rarely do we irritate one another to the point of a heated argument or a need for a few hours apart. That remains true even after 16 years of marriage, so I think we have a lot to be thankful for right there.

I am also thankful for our home, where we can feel safe and warm and comfortable.

I am thankful for our families. My parents aren’t with us anymore, but I have brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews to enjoy. I am also thankful for my husband’s parents, who raised him to be the man he is today.

I am thankful for our jobs, where we each have a sense of purpose and are able to earn a living.

I’m also thankful to live here in Eastern Ohio. I feel a deep connection to this region and appreciate its beauty and my sense of belonging.

I am thankful to have the opportunity to write this column each week. Doing so gives me a reason to reflect on the past several days and to consider what you, our readers, might want or need to hear from me.

I am thankful that I was able to vote in the general election earlier this month. I know that there are people all over the world who never get to do that. I also realize that just a couple of generations ago, women here in the United States did not have the right to vote. My grandmothers were both born into that America.

I’m also thankful to live in a nation that I believe will prevail, no matter what crises we might face. Innovation, determination and persistence have gotten us a long way so far, and those characteristics will continue to help our nation overcome its challenges. I believe we will get through this pandemic, and I believe we will find ways to resolve the many differences that divide us. It may not be easy and it might take a long time, but I believe we will make progress together, as Americans.

And so, I am thankful.

If you find yourself wondering what you have to be thankful for this year as you gather at a table loaded with turkey, dressing and all the fixings on Thursday, why not try what I do and just look around?

I think you will find that we all are more fortunate than we realize.

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