A dear friend is visiting me for Thanksgiving.  As usual we are having a great time shopping, eating and visiting.  In one of our many conversations the topics of happiness and joy came up and how best to define each.  After a bit of debate we concluded that happiness seems to frequently be related to acquiring or obtaining ‘stuff’, as in “I’d be happier if I had a new car, new outfit or maybe a new figure”.  Joy on the other hand is different.  Joy, for me, is an inner peace and gratefulness for all the many blessings of life; sunshine, goldfinches, zinnias.  In other words, all the many things that are simply and freely given to us each and every day.  What gifts are you thankful for this season?