The first presidential debate was held Tuesday night.

Since it was a debacle, it would probably be more prudent to talk about the weather, and hasn’t it been lovely?

I always welcome a change in seasons and this mild weather has been just the thing to make me thankful for fall.

Being thankful these days has been a challenge.

Between the pandemic and its effects, the continual unrest in the country and the showdown between our two political parties, finding the positives seems few and far between.

As I walked to our office on Washington Street — enjoying the sunshine and cooler temperatures — it occurred to me that while I could certainly make a long list of all the negative things going on for me, our country and across the world, I could instead focus on what is good.

Therefore, I decided to put pen to paper, or in this case, keyboard to computer, and come up with a list of the good things going on.

First and foremost, as a Christian, I am thankful to my Heavenly Father, who even when I am at my lowest, always seems to be there for me.

Secondly, I am thankful I am alive and well. I so often take my health for granted.

Unfortunately, it seems to only be an issue when I am not feeling my best.

I would also add to my list all the basic needs I have been blessed with like having clothes on my back, food on the table and a roof over my head.

There are nearly 600,000 people in this country alone who are homeless and more than 40 million more who struggle with hunger.

In addition to the basics, I am also fortunate when it comes to material possessions. I have a car to get me to and from where I want to go; home furnishings, which include a comfy bed; and central heat and air to keep me warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

I often wonder how folks manage without an air conditioner in our blistering summers or ample heating during our rainy winter days.

When it comes to my material blessings, my list is long, and if that weren’t enough, I also have a loving family and a wonderful circle of friends.

My oldest daughter, who works at a woman’s shelter, helps take care of those who don’t have a good home life. These women literally have to, in some cases, run for their lives from those they once thought loved them.

Yes, we could prattle along with how the world is going to hell in a handbasket and gripe and complain about what we don’t have compared to others.

There are many occasions I do this, but today, I choose to look at all the positive things going on in my life.

I hope you will too.

Terri Cowart Frazier is a staff writer for The Vicksburg Post. She can be reached at terri.frazier@vicksburgpost.com.