A question

Are Black Friday sales really worth it?

I have a credit card burning a hole in my pocket, but have this feeling that I should just stay home.

Thankful

Among the sordid family history stories that circulated before my grandmother died, I remember hearing about a man named William Bradford, a man accused of knocking off his first wife by pushing her overboard so that he could marry my 12-times great grandmother. Tonight I learn that he is also the person supposedly credited with this day we call Thanksgiving. (I did already know about his position as governor of the Plymouth Colonies, though history was never my strong suit.)

Whether that little piece of family lore has any weight or not is unknown. The dates don’t match well, since it was two years from the date of Bradford’s first wife’s death until my great-gram sailed over. One account listed the first wife’s death as a suicide, but it also seems to have been debated throughout the years.

And I thought I had problems!

On that note, I’m happy to say that I feel that I can readily tap into the simple abundance principal of gratitude and feel led to give you a big ol’ list of all the things I’m thankful for. I know that gratitude is why I smile and laugh so much. I am deeply blessed on a daily basis and hope that I rarely lose sight of all the really wonderful people, situations and things I have in my life.

So, without further adieu, here are some things for which I am grateful that may not be readily obvious:

- Firstly, that I’m not my 12-great grandmother who had to deal with a lot more shit than I do on a daily basis. (She left her young sons in England when she came to America. It would be several years before they were reunited. I don’t think I admire — or envy — her. She had to crap in the woods, for God’s sake — AND, she chose to be married to a guy who quite possibly shoved his first wife off the Mayflower. Nice.)

- On a smaller level, I am grateful for a garage – after years of scraping ice and snow off my car, having a place to park at night is a blessing.

- On a similar note, I have a safe neighborhood in which to live, and that is up higher on my list than some might think. Have a child chase your child with a broken beer bottle, and you’ll be grateful for a good neighborhood, too.

- A good job with really wonderful people and work I enjoy

- My car – it suits me, and I still get a rush every time I see it (or one like it). It’s 12 years old and has nearly 180,000 miles, but I really, really, really love my car. (Okay, not the way I love my kids, but you get the idea.)

- The chance to be LJ’s step mom. Being a step mom is even cooler than being an aunt. I tend to think that it may be what it feels like to have a grandchild, the freedom to just relax and enjoy without the constant nagging guilt and worry that comes with being fully responsible for this little piece of your heart walking around outside your body.

- A really wonderful girlfriend for my ex who treats my daughter well and gives me, for the first time since I divorced, the ability to get a true night’s sleep when Babs isn’t here. I am deeply grateful that she came along and has made that entire situation infinitely better. I tried to tell her once, but I don’t think she’ll ever know how truly thankful I am for her.

- I’m thankful that LJ’s mom and Jon continue to learn how to work together. It’s still a little rocky at times, but on the whole, we are all in a better place than we were three years ago.

- I’m glad I had a chance to really hug my dad and have him show off his new car for me.

- I’m grateful for my friendships, especially the ones that have grown and deepened over this last year. I am nothing without the people in my life, and my gratitude to them could never be adequately expressed. (And y’all are in this list, by the way. I am more grateful for you than you can know.)

- With one of my best girlfriends once again facing surgery to remove a brain tumor that stubbornly continues to grow, I am grateful for my health and pray for her and her family on her journey.

- And last, but certainly not least, this wonderful man who has come along and made the lives of two girls infinitely richer for the experience. I would not be where I am today without him.

We have so much. And yes, every life has problems, and nothing is ever perfect, but the adage about someone always having more and someone always having much less is true.

Today, I realize that not only is my glass half full, it’s overflowing. I hope the same for all of you — that your cup is so filled with blessings that you have to have an overflow plan to catch them all.