It's the day before Thanksgiving, the day when we eat all those "traditional" foods that weren't actually eaten at the first feast, and we rarely eat any other time of year. It's a weird holiday. It's one of the few where - for most workers - it's actually two days instead of one. For those who work in retail, of course, that second day is a nightmare.

The other tradition is to take a moment to think about what we're thankful for, since most people spend the rest of the year being ungrateful. It's very American in the best and worst possible ways.

One thing I've learned is that - for me - every hardship has resulted in something better coming out the other end of the gauntlet, whether it was divorce, job loss, the death of a pet, etc. Once the smoke cleared, I was in a better place.

So instead of looking back on what was lost, I choose to look at what was gained, and head into adversity with an optimism and confidence (however misplaced) that current and future struggles will lead to better days.

And for that, I am grateful