Hesitant, Hopeful

Thanksgiving was a tough this year. I learned on Wednesday that my cousin, who was 42 years old, had died. He was only four years older than I am now. While I hadn't seen him in a long time, he had always been such a lovely person. His family is inconsolable over the loss, he and his wife had two children under five. It's been a blow to us all, even though of us who hadn't had seen him in recent years.

A loss like this puts things into some sort of perspective, especially at the holidays. All those things for which I wasn't feeling particularly thankful have fallen away. All that remains are those very basic things we should all be thankful to have, chief among them life. If you can see this, you should feel thankful. Not everyone is lucky enough to do the same.

If you were with your family this thanksgiving, all well, be thankful. If you have a roof over your head, be thankful. If you can hug your spouse, your parents, or your children, be thankful. If you can draw breath into your lungs or gorge on good food, be thankful.

Most of all, don't take for granted these things so many others don't have the luxury to enjoy. Take a minute to really count your blessings and tell your loved ones you love then and are Thankful they're there. You may not have another chance.