Room amid sadness to be thankful

This week's headlines include such cheery news as the proposed bailout to the automobile companies, a company cutting 50,000-plus jobs, and, in Indiana, nearly a foot of snow.

Just about everyone is seeing retirement and college accounts hit with huge losses, if they're lucky enough to have accounts at all.

A teacher friend tells me she knows of several former students whose post-high school plans now include community college for at least the first year, because their college funds have been decimated.

And that's just money.

I know it's important, it's vital, but answer this question. Know anyone in the hospital? Undergoing chemo? Money pales a bit in comparison.

Neither money nor health include the slings and arrows of life, including the to-be-expected-yet-still-difficult passing of older relatives or friends, or the devastation divorce can bring. Certainly we all know someone who has faced one of those situations in this past year.

Yet, there is room amid sadness or gloom to be thankful not just for the major blessings of family and health, but also small ones as well.

Several years ago at Thanksgiving, someone told me he was thankful for the Notre Dame football coach. I knew exactly what he meant: he had already factored in his huge good fortune to have a happy, healthy family and a good job. At the same time, he was enjoying the football season and the winning record of the Fighting Irish that year.

So, what are some of the small things we're thankful for, as we head toward this most All-American of holidays?

Jodie Voss is happy that she's found a gymnastics club where daughter Zoe is thriving.

A week ago Michelle Tams was anticipating the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau red wines, produced in the Beaujolais region of France and released yearly on the third Thursday in November. A Web site called it "one of the most frivolous and animated rituals in the wine world," so it's perfect for a column on frivolous things to be thankful for.

Wisconsin native Nancy Krueger was enjoying the Packers' victory last Sunday over the Bears.

I take pleasure in a lot of stupid stuff - my high percentage of wins in free cell, for example - so it was hard to choose just one for which I'm thankful. I'm really pleased with my new iPhone, which is much

more user-friendly than the cell phone it replaced, and which, incidentally has saved my work bacon a few times already. Plus, it's fun.

Joann Able watched the snowflakes fly early last week. She and her family moved earlier this year from their traditional single-family home to a home where outside maintenance is someone else's job.

"I'm thankful I don't have to shovel snow," she said. "There are no leaves to rake, no lawns to mow."

She is delighted to have these chores belong to someone else.

Lois Drumhiller takes a certain pleasure in her train commute to and from Chicago.

"It gives me a little nap time," as well as time and space in which to decompress, she said.

Judy Hoffman of St. Charles wrote me in response to my column last week on Obamamania and the upcoming presidential inauguration. She said that while her immediate family agreed on politics, farther-flung members did not.

Unfortunately, this year for the first time ever, there were hostile e-mails exchanged.

"It was the first time that I can remember us ever even

discussing politics, let alone abusing each other over it," she said. "So one of the things I am extremely thankful for is that the election is over and we have a few weeks to let the flames die down before we gather for Thanksgiving."

She even found a bright side in the sagging economy: harder times will halt the "perpetual need to spend" at Christmas.

Jeff Boser said his life is good. I mentioned football and he brightened. As son Jordan is a former Viking player - and 2008 alum - Boser has really enjoyed the fun and excitement of the Geneva High School Vikings' football season.

"I'm very lucky," he said, in not being able to come up

with frivolous blessings.

That was a common theme. When I talked "frivolous" with people, believe me, there was an overwhelming sense that times are hard, and we are

all enormously thankful for what we have.

We all know people who have lost their jobs and are wondering if a new one can be obtained before the severance package - if they're lucky

enough to have a good one, or one at all - runs out.

We know people battling serious illnesses, perhaps confronting diagnoses they hoped never to receive.

"Absolutely," said Able when we talked about this. "We have no right to complain about anything."

While I'm counting my own blessings, which are many despite the retirement and college account losses, I'm adding in special thanks for Jimmy Mack, the new baby in our extended family who arrived in August, and the baby due to join us any day now.

As the greeting card says, "A baby is God's sign that the world should go on." And it does.

Happy Thanksgiving. May you enjoy your turkey, your mashed potatoes, your family - and your blessings great and small.