Giving thanks when times are tough

There’s no better time than the holiday season to pause and reflect on how fortunate we are, especially when times are tough.

Personally, I’m thankful for my six children and 14 grandchildren, even though baby Luciana has interrupted my sleep patterns. And, of course, I am thankful for my beautiful wife.

I’m thankful, after a fascinating yet long 2009 election season, that I now observe politics from the sidelines.

I’m thankful that there are rational members of Congress who fight for the American taxpayer, despite the uphill battle against special interests that they face on a daily basis.

I’m thankful that I’m not Gov. Mark Sanford (although I wouldn’t mind a trip to Argentina).

In all seriousness, as we gather to spend time with our families and loved ones, let’s not forget those who are facing difficult times. The unemployment rate is now moving past 10 percent. In fact, new numbers show that nearly 1 in 5 Americans are either unemployed or underemployed. Chances are that someone in your family or in your neighborhood is out of work.

Often in our own busy lives, we forget to put a face on what those numbers really mean. A father who is embarrassed that he can’t pay the mortgage and faces losing his home or, more important, his dignity because he feels as though he has let his wife and children down. Parents who will have a hard time feeding their children, let alone putting a magnificent feast on the table.

So let’s be thankful for the blessings we have, that we have our health, and let’s not forget those who are sick and in need.

Let’s be thankful that we live in a country whose technologies are so advanced that we were able to develop a vaccine for the swine flu epidemic that actually works. Cases of swine flu are down around the country.