It is Thanksgiving Eve and wherever you are tonight, I wish you warmth and health.

Whether you are with others at a big dinner or home alone tomorrow, please take some time to reflect on what you have. We often tend to think of all the things we do not have, but there are scores of people around the world that would do anything to live your worst day. Our ‘big headaches’ are still often first world problems. Traffic, arguing politics on Facebook and fatal stabbings over chicken sandwiches? If we were to travel to some parts of the world, we would find others living in landfills without clean water, shoes on their feet or hope to ever see their life change. How humbled we would be.

This is a country where is it accepted and even celebrated to be openly gay. We can worship, assemble, bear arms and do many other things in peace without the threat of prosecution. We may not be thrilled with our government at the moment, but we can be informed and we can vote. Let’s not forget that if you woke up today, if there is food in your refrigerator, a roof over your head and bills that are paid, you are more blessed than many.

I know that the holidays are difficult for those who have lost loved ones. I’m right there with you. When there’s a hole in your family and a hole in your heart, it affects everything. Please be comforted tonight, remembering that the ones you’ve lost would want you to soak up every bit of life there is, to do what they cannot. Raise a glass to them, say a prayer for them….but breathe deeply and love hard, too. What a gift it is to do that.

No matter what your story is, you’ve made it this far. You’re one tough SOB. Keep going.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Amber