I used to scoff at the concept of the power of positive thinking. Years ago, I was shedding tears in my doctor’s office when another patient heard me. She asked my doctor if she could be in touch w/me, so I said yes. She sent me an email asking if she could include me on her daily gratitude email list, so I said yes. When I started receiving her emails, I did not understand what I was receiving or why this would help me, nor did I comprehend the impact this kind gesture would have on my life.

One day several months later, I started creating & sharing gratitude lists. Whether it was the simple act of making my bed, interacting with a stranger on the street, or just breathing in & out, it started to empower my mindset to shift, which brings me to the power of a story to have a happy ending. Living happily after is not always possible, but it is more possible when you think positive thoughts, share positive experiences, approach things with a positive attitude, act positively & view your life & the world with a glass half full mindset..or in this case…rather than always seeing the crescent, see the whole of the moon. In turn, storytelling that leaves u w/at least a glass half full mindset leaves u w/hope & faith that the very happiest ending is at least possible, albeit not always tied up in a perfect bow.

One TV show in particular captured my attention for the last 5 years. It was filled w/interconnected relationships doomed to fail, testing all the boundaries of humanity w/the worst possible scenarios: infidelity, theft, violence, incest,murder. It was very dark, but riveting for so many reasons: superior cinematography, character development, 1st class writing, innovative structure w/multifaceted perspectives & superb storytelling.

Like all good things though, they must come to an end. Like another great show whose finale ended on a high note yet still not wrapping it in a perfect bow (Sex & the City), “The Affair” finale left me breathless & smiling, shedding  tears of joy w/ the 2 protagonists-primarily one finding his authentic self amidst the darkness, playing the role of mom & secret wedding planner to his eldest daughter, generous future father-in-law to his new son in law, kind caregiver to his ex-father-in-law, humble father & husband to the family he hurt so badly, wise sage to his son & stepdaughter & loving husband again & widower to the woman he was always meant to be with.

The glass can really be more than half full, things really do happen for a reason & come full circle, and family & friends are really all that matter-imperfections, foibles, dysfunction and all! Finally, you will always find your way “home” as long as you don’t just see the crescent…but the WHOLE of the moon. This flashmob scene is EVERYTHING, particularly w/grandpa trying to find his mind again & mimic the moves through his dementia. Family and friends are everything and all that matters in the end…this is the whole of the moon…this Thanksgiving and always. Happy Thanksgiving!