This is a post about being grateful, so if this isn’t your thing, you can move on. For me, this holiday has always been about gratitude, not the Pilgrims and the Indians, football, family or stuffing yourself. (I don’t eat meat, so the centerpiece of the meal has literally been stuffing.) But with the Michael Brown ruling just handed down, it’s on a lot of people’s minds today and it’s tough to ignore that many people don’t seem to have a lot to feel thankful about. Nevertheless, to take personal stock of what we have in our own lives isn’t a public matter, or one that is ruled by current events, however we feel about them. I made this painting a few years back and it has become a touchstone for all the people in my life that I owe thanks to. When it was made into a print for 20×200, my artist’s statement became a simple list of everyone in my life I was grateful for up to that point. It was a good exercise and it lives online, and I refer to it every so often, as a reminder. It’s easy to forget what you DO have. Without get preachy, I highly recommend the exercise. Everyone has a list and there’s always something to be thankful for, even in the toughest of times. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.