Reasons to be thankful

 A short pre-Thanksgiving post., before I don my apron.
I am thankful for many things, mostly non-material, e.g., health family, friends.  I am also thankful to be living now, and in this country, where despite our many all-too-real difficulties, we have much to be grateful for, and to look forward to.  
Despite the gloom, and the real differences among us, we do keep advancing, making life better for most of our citizens.
Focusing only on the positive, I think of what did not exist (either literally or in the public consciousness) 10 years ago, when we were giving thanks in the aftermath of 9/11.  Among the advances which have had a profound impact on dissolving the limitations of time and distance and thus brought us closer by allowing us to share more of ourselves (whether profound or trivial) are:  social networks like Facebook; smartphones; blogging; YouTube; wireless networks; broadband internet; i-pads, pods, phones; internet activism. 
I do believe that the best is yet to come.  It may take some time yet, but we’re working on it for sure.
Happy Thanksgiving.