Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday of the year. Not because I’m not a huge patriot, or because I have some fantasy about how this country was formed.

I suppose it’s because, on some level, I’ve co-opted the holiday to represent gratitude for all things in life: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

We often think of gratitude as something we think or feel when receiving wonderful things: a promotion, a healthy diagnosis, a new car.

But if we reserve our gratitude only for instances in which we gained more comfort, we’re really only taking advantage of half of our opportunities to be grateful.

In truth, our struggles teach us more than our gains. Our failings propel us further forward than our wins. And our losses, our good byes, and our disappointments strengthen us in a way nothing else can.

This year, more than years past, our collective list of gratitude’s might look really different. We might find it more difficult to reckon with the struggles we’ve endured, or the heartache we’ve experienced.

But therein lies the opportunity. The opportunity to be grateful for the bad… and the ugly.

I’m grateful for the lessons I was offered today. Even if I haven’t learned them yet, I’m grateful for the opportunity.

I’m grateful for receiving what I needed today – whether it was grace, or a swift kick to the rear.

I’m grateful for the understanding of others as I continue to learn how to do this ‘life’ thing.

We may struggle to uncover as many of the typical gratitude’s this holiday season. But we sure as heck have plenty of opportunities to find gratitude in the bad and the ugly.

An opportunity, if you will, for us to master one of life’s secret to peace and contentment.

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