Although the word "election" is one we've all heard just about enough for the moment, my first example involves-you'll pardon the term-an election ballot. My beloved mother died on November 4, 1986. It was Election Day, and Mom strongly believed voting was both a responsibility and an honor, so nothing ever kept her from the polls. Actually, nothing ever kept her from nagging us kids about voting, either-even years before we were old enough to do so. If you happen to have been blessed with an Italian Catholic mother of your own, I'm sure you can easily visualize the entire scenario, which of course included, along with the nagging, her fervent prayers that we would be upstanding, voting citizens.

Therefore, it seemed quite ironic to us that Mom would die, quite suddenly, on Election Day, without getting that last ballot in. A few days after the funeral, however, we found a postcard in Mom's mailbox from the Board of Elections, thanking her for her absentee vote. We were amazed but, knowing Mom, perhaps we shouldn't have been. All I know is, I laughed with relief, awash in gratitude. It lightened my grief, you see, to know that Mom wasn't denied that last opportunity to vote. It was comforting to know that, just like the posthumous postcard from the Board of Elections, the gifts Mom had given me throughout my life would continue to flow. And so I was thankful.

Although jingle bells are but a faint tune in our many of our memories, the following Gratitude Attitude incident occurred several years ago on another holiday--Thanksgiving. My family was gathered around the table, ready to begin the feast. We all took turns mentioning things for which we were thankful. When it was my daughter Kerry's turn, she blurted out, "I'm thankful Phil is still here. (Pause.) He just won't die!"

There was dead silence. Everyone looked at my husband Phil, then at me, then at each other. Phil, you see, had been battling multiple myeloma, an incurable form of cancer. So none of us could immediately decide how to respond to Kerry's comment. After a moment, though, I began to laugh, soon followed by Phil, and then by the kids. Humor had always been very important in our family. So the fact that Kerry, who loves her stepfather very much, could say such a thing meant to me that the humor was back, that we were finding ways to put cancer in its place. Such a despicable entity did not deserve center stage in our lives, and now it was, most appropriately, being relegated to the fringes. Best of all, this moment gave us a chance to feel a rush of gratitude, a moment of absolute joy, as we savored the holiday… together.

Sometimes we think we can't feel gratitude until we reach some arbitrary goal. We can't stop to notice everyday successes; we have to strive for the BIG success-the raise, the wedding, landing that big client, etc. We can't feel gratitude when life is handing us lemons…or can we? Why not make them into lemonade?

We cannot control the events in our lives. All we can control is our attitude. If we can live in the moment, find the good even in "bad" situations, smell the flowers, examine a snowflake, kiss a child, or experience the love in another's eyes, we truly have it all. Let's live in the moment instead of endlessly waiting. Let's begin today to follow our dreams. Let's put passion in our lives and our work, let's celebrate who we are and what we have…right now! With a gratitude attitude, we recognize that we are surrounded by abundance…not just at holiday time, but always. Isn't that superb? Isn't it wonderful? Isn't it worth celebrating…every day?