Better days await

These "be thankful" Thanksgiving editorials are getting harder to write.

We do them every year the day before Thanksgiving, and not surprisingly, the tone has wavered in its optimism the past few years.

Truth is, these aren't the best of times for most people. They are the worst of times for some.

To those who can't pay their bills and have no decent prospects for income to alleviate their financial woes, saying "It could always be worse" just somehow isn't very soothing.

Even to those working hard and living right, times are tough. For many, the high cost of gas to get to work is siphoning food right off the family's table. Not that food is any bargain these days, either.

Yes, each of us is responsible for the condition we're in. We bear the ultimate and exclusive responsibility for improving the state of our life, whatever it is. But sometimes, all the effort in the world seems like it's rewarded with a firm shake of the head and a swift kick in the rear.

We won't close this Thanksgiving editorial by concluding that misery has collected a rather impressive gathering this year. When we lose hope, we really have lost everything.

So we'll tell you instead that we're thankful for every single one of you reading these words. You're not just keeping informed on local issues; you're supporting our business - providing good local jobs - and in turn, we hope to do some good in this amazing community.

For one day, let's give the painful effects of recession a holiday tomorrow. Let's do our best to see the positive around us, whether it's a child's smiling face at the dinner table or our own newly determined reflection in the mirror. Let's remember that the best way to feel better about ourselves is to help someone else.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. This turkey of an economy won't last.