Wishing you an abundance of Thanks

Perhaps because it is finally raining today in Los Angeles, which makes my office seem cosier than usual, or perhaps it's just that time of the year (how rapidly November is fleeing the scene!), I'm in a reflective mood.

Despite the depressing and scary news that pervades our hallways and homes, on the eve of my favorite holiday (which I have gleefully adopted) I am deeply thankful for:

• the health of my family
• my own health
• the wealth of friendship I have
• the joy and sense of purpose my work brings me
• an election that demonstrates how a great country can choose its future and accept the outcome peacefully and in some parts, with elation
• the chance to witness and be aware of history in the making
• the opportunity my second home in the world, the USA, still presents in spite of this downturn
• the pleasure I get from hearing from you from time to time, and reading your comments
• the humor and grace and intelligence that I encounter in great abundance in our enormous Internet community - from blogs to YouTube videos to Twitter patter to the email jokes that make the rounds!

I wish you a very happy, unstressful Thanksgiving (just imagine - the burned turkey or whiskey-soaked Uncle Jack's crude jokes will provide you with "remember when" memories to chuckle over for years to come).

What are you willing to let go of, in order to truly have a thankful day?