When this young girl is grown, her memories would not be mine, an ashamed, self-conscious, overweight teen. Rather, she’d fondly recollect swaying and laughing with her family to a loud Latin beat.

I’m determined to become the kind of man that the fallen-heroes I’ve known would want me to be. I know it won’t be easy, but I’m determined to give it my best shot. Our world offers countless temptations to go astray. We all face situations in which doing the right thing brings unpleasant consequences.

Honor every culture and every religion. Accept yours proudly. Allow others to do the same.

You might think I’m a little old to be crawling up on your lap, however I still like some gift requests I have not had answered to help me with my diet. I figure, who better than you to help?

Learn about your past before it’s too late. It is a part of you and therefore will help shape your future.

As I crossed the threshold for the first time in half a century, I was enfolded in triggers. I remembered sitting at my father’s feet, watching Bonanza in that living room. Memories of my mother at the kitchen table staring out the window studying the neighbors were as vibrant as when I was six. I recalled unwrapping my first record player in the living room, a birthday present when I turned seven.

I accept that my parents did the best they knew how to do. I am doing the same.

This year, however, she would not be sucked into his dark drama vortex. Since her divorce, she was working on accepting things as they were rather than how they “should” be. Therapy, a fitness program, and losing 33 pounds; was allowing her to reclaim her life. She would not let her boorish brother steal that away — not tonight, not again.

I don’t want a pony. I don’t need an electric train; and no offense intended, although I’ve got some beauties, I really don’t want any more ties. Here’s what I’d really like – it’s a one-size-fits-all list so you can get it for everyone.

The next morning, I raced downstairs, not knowing what to expect. I surveyed the living room. Nothing. Then the obvious became apparent: “What were you thinking? He was an eccentric geezer who cashed in his penny jar, that’s all.” I brushed aside my foolishness and started to exit when I noticed a simple envelope adorned with an embossed snowflake and a monogrammed “S.C.”

Reality is if my indulgences were limited just to holidays, I wouldn’t have to lose 70 pounds. Celebrations were the validation I used to reaffirm that “weight loss is too hard.” Failure sat at the head of every holiday meal table as the unwelcome guest, “Give up – start again later.”

What if we could make this Thanksgiving less stressful, more fun, and actually be able to enjoy ourselves, appreciate our family and friends (even the ones who drive us nuts), and focus on what we’re thankful for in a genuine way?

Giving thanks in such chaotic times is not simple. It feels difficult and trivial to find positives when all around seems urgent. However, to do so, requires a refocus on what one has, rather than a sadness of the way it is not. Saying “Thank you,” lightens the heart, and loosens life’s burdens — if only for a moment, making living worthwhile. Now, more than ever, it is essential to express gratitude for what one has. We are still blessed in many ways.