Let's Give Thanks

This Thanksgiving, Amy and John show some gratitude.

By Amy Kean and John D. Schwartz

Amy:  I really love Thanksgiving, but growing up, I was always a bit disappointed that my family didn't have more family dinner traditions. I noticed on TV, and in movies, that some families had sweet little rituals, like holding hands while saying grace, or going around the table asking, "What are you thankful for?" I love the idea of asking that simple question every year, to make everyone think about the real meaning of Thanksgiving. And I think this holiday -- more than ever -- we need to show gratitude for what's good in our lives. So here goes...my first-ever gratitude list.

This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for:

1. MY FAMILY
I know this sounds horribly corny and so "expected," but I mean it. Every time I walk by a homeless person sleeping in a filthy, freezing New York City doorway, I recognize how fortunate I am to have a loving, supportive family. Remember, the only real difference between a homeless person and any one of us is a solid family we can depend upon. Family is the ultimate luxury. And the lucky ones among us should lend a hand to those who need it.

2. THE FACT THAT WE DON'T OWN A LOT OF STOCKS
So procrastinating on purchasing stocks has finally paid off. I can't deny that I've often said to John, "Hey, why don't we play the stock market? Everyone's doing it." But now I'm really grateful that John never listened to me. Phew! Looks like we really dodged a bullet.

3. THE FACT THAT NEITHER OF US IS EMPLOYED BY THE "BIG THREE"
By the "Big Three" of course I mean, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler.  What agony those millions of automotive workers must be going through this Thanksgiving, not knowing if the U.S. Government is going to bail them out, or not. Now that's some serious holiday stress.

4. THE GREAT FOOD
John and I are extremely lucky when it comes to food.  We live within easy walking distance to several exceptional markets, all stocked to the brim with fresh, crispy produce and the finest meats and delicacies imaginable. It's a 24-hour smorgasbord! Do we Americans ever stop to think about how fortunate we are to have so much delicious food at our fingertips? We don't have to hike for hours to buy rice, milk or flour, like people do in some less developed countries. If we don't feel like cooking, we can just go online and order a nice, big beautiful Thanksgiving dinner delivered right to our doorstep within an hour or so. It's not that easy in the Sudan or Uganda. Any of us who can, should donate food or money to those less fortunate around the globe.

5. THE FACT THAT I ALREADY OWN EVERYTHING I NEED
Since we're officially in a recession -- possibly heading for a depression -- I guess I should stay out of the department stores and malls for a while. Instead I should shop inside my own closet. No problem, if you're a life-long shopaholic like me, you've got a ton of great stuff stored away, most still with the tags attached. Shopping in my own closet is going to be responsible and pretty fun.

6. MY HUSBAND
I'm very lucky in the husband department. I still miss John when we're apart, and get excited when he comes home. Running mundane errands together, like going to the post office, still feels like a romantic date to me. I'm thankful that I've found someone I really love. Sorry, I didn't mean to get so sappy--yikes!

John:  OK, this Thanksgiving I'm thankful for:

1. My wife -- first and foremost.

2. My family

3. My friends

Without these people, my life would be so lonely. I can't imagine anything worse than loneliness.

4. My computer and cell phone

How unbelievable are these items? (And I don't even have an iPhone yet.) I marvel every day at the incredible things I can do with both my computer and my cell phone--high definition video editing, Google Maps"??!!! Lord knows, they can be frustrating too. (We just spent $1300 on "data recovery" for a crashed hard drive and if my cell phone doesn't stop randomly texting the letter "T" to half the people in my address book, I'm gonna kill somebody!) But did you ever really imagine twenty years ago, that you'd be able to do all the things you can do with a computer and cell phone?

5. Indoor plumbing

Think about it.

6.  Memory Foam mattresses

This is a discovery that has really changed my life. How could sleeping get any better? Try sleeping on Memory Foam!

7.  Snow

I see it so rarely these days, but when I do, I feel a tiny bit religious.