Giving Thanks

Every year, I take part in a blessings-type-meme over on Facebook (Liz does, too), and it always surprises me how naming those things that I feel grateful for always makes me feel better. This year has been harder than others to give thanks, partly because of the political climate we're seeing not only in the real world but in social media.

I don't like the 'team' aspect of the presidential election. I especially don't like the division that the team aspect has perpetrated...because I think we can all agree that no candidate is all right just as none of them are all wrong. I saw that a lot last week, and those feelings, those 'I'm right, you're wrong' approaches to the election, made it so hard to find those things for which I am grateful. I did try, though, and I didn't just slap up a 'today I'm grateful for ___' post, and then forget about it. I made a point, throughout the day, to think about whatever that grateful thing is and how that makes me feel...and I started to feel a little better. Not good, but better. Not whole, but better. Because while the political climate remains hot, and tensions are still high, I'm seeing more things that make me feel grateful. Things like:

• The safety pin movement
• The conversations parents are having with children
• The conversations children are having with parents
• A certain private Facebook group that is so supportive of all its members

I'm concentrating on those things instead of the negative...and to that end, a group of my SuperRomance author friends and I are having a party to celebrate Thanksgiving today, and we'll be giving away books and having fun and being silly...so if you're in need of a mood lift, please stop by. We'd love to see  you.