I think it says something about the American character that the quintessential American holiday is one that sees us gathering with family and friends to give things for the many blessings in our lives.  I know that I certainly have a lot to be thankful for.  In my personal life, I’m blessed with a loving family, good friends (including all the wonderful friends I’ve met through my blog), a comfortable home, good health, more than enough food, and activities I enjoy.

On a larger scale, although I find the political scene depressing, good things are happening there too.  Conservatives have been shaken from their complacency and are making changes.  Andrew Brietbart and two 20 somethings have practically destroyed ACORN, a handful of hackers exposed the great sham of man-made global warming, the activists on the Nobel Prize Committee finally made people realize that the award is a joke, and our President and our Congress, who could have proceeded slowly and with great stealth, were so overcome by hubris that they may finally have overplayed the Leftist hand.

In the political world, we still have many, many travails facing us.  Overplayed hand or not, the Democrats can inflict massive amounts of damage both at home and abroad.  The fact remains, though, that we, as Americans, are finally understanding what’s happening.  And just as normally complacent conservatives are on the move, I do believe that the even more complacent apolitical American middle will rise up and reassert those core values that still live in the American soul.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Tomorrow, I’ll be spending most of the day in transit, and it’s unclear to me at this point how much blogging I’ll be able to sneak in once I arrive at my ultimate destination.  So, before I lose access to my computer, I wanted to put together a list of things that make me thankful.

I’m thankful that I have a loving family, even if we don’t always see eye to eye on all things.  In an unstable world, a stable nuclear family is one of life’s great blessings.

I’m thankful that this same loving family, from youngest to oldest, enjoys good health.  As to the oldest in my family (and we’re talking octogenarians), I am reasonably certain that I will be able to enjoy their presence in my life for some time to come.

I’m thankful for the endless bounty that America offers:  food, shelter, reasonable safety from the extreme threats of the world, economic opportunity (even in down times), and unparalleled freedom.  I never take for granted the sheer dumb luck that saw me being born in late 20th century America, and not in some other place, at some other time.

I’m thankful for this blog, which provides an endless outlet for my verbal and political energy.

I’m thankful for my blog readers, who have become a very important community to me, and whose friendship I cherish more than any one of them can imagine.

I’m thankful that I really like my in-laws, since I’ll be spending several days in their company.  The fact that they’re well-informed and, as I am, neocons, means that I’ll have a lot of mental stimulation that should be reflected in my blog upon my return.

I’m thankful for Don Quixote’s friendship.  His entry into my life, and the fact that we ended up being friends, was something I never anticipated, and I am perpetually grateful.  I’m also grateful that his wife is a generous and wonderful soul who recognizes that ours is a true platonic friendship, and makes the friendship even stronger by being a cheerful, intelligent and interesting participant in our lunches whenever she is available.

I’m thankful for martial arts, which makes me feel strong and gives me a learning curve when so much else in my life has flat-lined.  (I’ll never really figure out how to be “the perfect” mother, I know how to be a lawyer, and there’s only so good you can get at folding laundry.)  Who knew I’d love tackling people and taking them down?

I’m thankful that, no matter how bitter this last election was (and it was very bitter), we are still looking forward to a peaceful handover of power in January 2009.  Look back on world history and you will appreciate what an extraordinary accomplishment that his.  I wish President Obama a safe and short presidency, that sees him forced to govern to the center, to the great disappointment of his more fervent admirers.

So, if you don’t hear from me again before Thursday — Happy Thanksgiving!