I know I am a day late and a dollar short with this column, but I am going to run it anyway.

Thanksgiving is a special holiday all its own. It is one of my favorites because it encompasses the three Fs: Family, food, and fun (I bet some of you thought I would say football).

Think about it a minute. It is the only day that the whole country sets aside to be thankful for all that we have been given. One day out of an entire year of blessings.

Someone might say that not all years are good years. And that is true. Life has its ups and downs. It is in the very years which have challenged us as human beings, that we have been given special strengths to get through our struggles. Talk about being thankful, finding the strength to get through trying times is what we are most thankful for.

During the years that are going well, we sometimes forget to be thankful. We have no complaints, so it doesn’t even occur to us to offer thanks.

Someone once said to me, “The sky is blue and the sun is shining way above the clouds on an overcast day even though we can’t see them.” I think of that often on dreary days. I am an optimist by nature, but even an optimist can be dragged down by circumstances once in a great while. So, I like to remember that quote.

I read in a magazine once that a person should review their day after they go to bed each night. Try to remember a kind act that someone did for you, a friendly smile, or words of encouragement that might have been offered in passing. Something you didn’t give much thought to when it happened, but now you have time to think about it and savor it. I have tried this and it really helps to let go of the frustrations of the day and drift off to sleep on a positive note. Put yourself in a thankful frame of mind before you go to sleep.

I am very thankful for each of my four boys and my extended family. I am also thankful for the many people who have crossed my path in this life. They each had different lessons to share with me and all have contributed in one way or another to my life.

Weather is something none of us can control. Yet, are we as thankful for the gray, overcast, cold, icy days as we are for the sunny, blue skies, warm weather days. Each type of weather day offers blessings, if one looks for them. Storm days cause a lot of hazards, but if you are a student, teacher, or anyone else who gets to stay home and be cozy on storm days, bad weather is an unexpected blessing. On the other hand, if you are a snowplow driver or work in law enforcement or a power company expert, the blessings will come later when everything is restored to normal and you have the satisfaction of having helped.

I bet you can tell, I am not one of those workers, so I can afford to sound optimistic. If I was the one out in the storm, it might be a struggle to find something to be thankful for. The point is made, though. Look for things to be thankful for and you will surely find some.