It was the day after Thanksgiving. A woman caught her husband weighing himself on the scale. He was sucking in his stomach.

“That won’t help you, Fred,” the woman said. “You know that, don’t you?”

“Oh it helps a lot,” said Fred. “It’s the only way I can see the numbers!”

I hope you’re ready for Thanksgiving--and not just for the turkey and all the trimmings. Giving thanks is important to a successful life. A growing body of research is indicating that a sense of gratitude is vital if we are to be happy and whole persons. Of course, different people are thankful for different things.

One mom was outside one morning shoveling her driveway. She stopped to wave hello to her neighbor. He asked her why her husband wasn’t out there helping her with the chore.

She explained that one of them h…