The meaning of Thanksgiving

[Rene Syler]

Over a dinner of Romain lettuce and red wine (there was chicken on the salad so don't fret) I was talking to Buff about how sometimes life just isn't fair. Now one thing you must know about me, is that the moral part of my personality, the Super-ego, according to Sigmund Freud, is overdeveloped. In other words, I have a very strong sense of what is right and what is wrong and that is not always such a good thing. It can lead to a dogmatic, immovable outlook on life. So with that in mind let's go back to the dinner discussion.

I was feeling a little of the " life is so unfair" in part because in Philadelphia there is the case of this anchorwoman who's about to get a huge payday because of what happened to her at the hands of her co-anchor. And while this woman has had more than her fair share of drama, a good deal of it has been initiated by her. So along with this civil suit worth potentially millions of dollars, she is also rumored to have landed a job here in NYC.

"I don't get it" I lamented to Buff as he chowed down on his salad. "What gives? I have been without a job for two years now. Maybe I need to be a bad girl to get some attention and make something happen". Because, you see when I left CBS, after they told me my services were no longer needed, two weeks before my mastectomy (and yes they knew I was having the surgery) I stood up, shook my boss' hands and held my head high as I walked out. No drama, no Star Jones, on air statements, just me, who felt it was important to remain professional to the bitter end.

But every once in a while I get that twinge of, "why me and this is so not fair!" Then I go back to what my mother used to always say. "The only thing fair in life is the weather." How true!

So this Thanksgiving I vow to be thankful for MY life and upon closer examination, it's pretty good!
*** I had major surgery two years ago and I came out of that better than good. I came out great! It helped give my life new purpose as I work with others to help spread the word about breast cancer through Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
*** I have a WONDERFUL family. I know I complain at times (I need material!) but I love my husband and life we have built together. I am constantly amazed by the children God gave me to raise. In a word, AWESOME!
*** I have financial security, thanks to my great husband. See if it were up to me I would have blown through every dime I had. He's the saver and the one who tells me it's time to back away from the credit card. He is passing that important lesson along to my children, which really is less about spending and more about learning the difference between want versus need.
*** I have great, GREAT friends! I had "friends" when I was working in TV. Then all of a sudden when the big fancy job, complete with car service and wardrobe allowance disappeared, POOF so did they. But it stripped the wheat from the chaff as it were, along with any sort of pretense from my life. Lo and behold, it was cleaner and simpler and REAL.

So as I sit down to a meal, where I have more than enough to eat, more friends than I thought I would have, more blessings than I deserve, there will be none of this " Life is unfair" thinking. I am thankful for MY life, which is more than good enough!