Give thanks for the good in life as well as the bad

Since we've all taken the yearly ``holiday plunge'' by now, it's time to address certain pitfalls most often encountered during this season of thanks, goodwill and cheer. This week, giving thanks.

We all know Thanksgiving is the traditional forum in which individuals gather round a festive table to profess the things for which they are thankful. Not everyone, however, may feel very thankful this year.

Multitudes of setbacks occur in life to bring about this feeling. A college you really wanted to attend doesn't accept you; a job you were sure you'd get is given to someone else; the business you put all your time and finances into doesn't go over; a loved one dies before you have the chance to say goodbye.

When one of these hardships occur, the stress and anxiety they cause can leave someone feeling empty rather than blessed. If you're one of these individuals, it's paramount to take a step back and look at the big picture.

Although we're all thankful during good times in life, this feeling often gets pushed to the side in the face of adversity. Society is partly to blame. It has ingrained in us a black or white thought process-- that good is good and bad is terrible. The key, however, is to look past the face value of negative experiences and see them as opportunities to learn more about yourself.

Adversities can be seen as a `life detour'; a way of telling you a new path needs to be traveled. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. It can signal a whole new realm of possibility awaits you. Obstacles can also hold the hidden gift of clarity-- of bringing into focus not only what we hold dear, but the primary purpose each of us were put on this planet to accomplish. And while we may wish the lesson wasn't so harsh, it can be clearer to understood if we're willing to accept it.

There's never a solid answer to why certain things happen-- why some of us seem to go through life stress-free while others seem to be plagued with adversity at every turn. What is certain, however, is that we're all on a personal journey of self-discovery.

Life is a tenuous business. It can be taken at any second which is why thanks for everyday blessings, such as another moment with our families or another day to make a difference, shouldn't be overlooked.

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