by Di Bauer, CarbSmart Editor

It's much easier to focus on the negative aspects of our lives than the positive ones. Do we remember the sunny smile the clerk at the grocery store flashed in our direction or do we remember that when we finally got all the groceries loaded in the trunk that the right rear tire was flat? Do we think about the fact that our husbands (or wives) dress in the dark so they won't wake us up, or do we obsess about the fact that they rattle the house with their snoring and keep us from getting to sleep in the first place? (Never mind the fact that we snore, too. From our own point of view, that's irrelevant.)

I've been spending quite a bit of time lately thinking about what and who I'm thankful for. I don't do this often enough. You probably don't, either. We would all be better off, though, if we did count our blessings more. And while I'm thankful for my family (most of the time - let's be realistic here), I want to focus right now on how thankful I am for the low carb community that flourishes on the Internet, and how very much I owe not only the community as a whole, but some very specific individuals as well.

Can you imagine trying to begin or maintain a low carbohydrate lifestyle alone? I certainly can't, and I can't even begin to imagine how people who are not connected to the on line low carbohydrate support lists do it. I certainly know that I couldn't. So the first thing I am grateful for is YOU, all the people who have offered me advice, held my hand, commiserated with me when my weight loss has stalled, made me laugh, and made me cry.

You all have been there for me in a way that I never would have imagined possible, and I will forever and always be in debt to you. Thank you.

When thinking back to when I first became involved with the Internet low carb community, one person and one person alone stands head and shoulders above all the rest: Lee Rodgers, the original listowner of the Atkins-New list and the owner of the Low Carb Retreat. Lee is a GIANT, and I am in awe of his knowledge, his compassion, and his caring. Lee has the intestinal fortitude to take the tough stands when necessary and doesn't back down when he feels he's right. That takes courage.

Lee has put a phenomenal amount of time and energy into The Low Carb Retreat; it is the absolute best low carb web site in existence. "Yeah," you say, "but he makes big bucks from all the sponsors the site has, so he's not hurting." Well, let me clue you in to something. Yes, Lee uses the funds from the sponsors to maintain The Low Carb Retreat, but all profits from the sponsors are donated to charity. Would you do that if you were in Lee's shoes? I'm not sure that I would. Lee does. Thank you, Lee, for being such a stellar example of what human beings can be if they choose to.

As a beginning low carber, I was flummoxed by how to begin "thinking" low carb when I was cooking. You know what I mean; we all go through this phase. All of a sudden burgers and scrambled eggs just don't cut it any more. The person who turned the key and opened my mind to all the wonderful possibilities of low carbohydrate cooking was Rani Merens. We have all been the beneficiaries of Rani's culinary expertise and her willingness to share her knowledge and her amazing recipes. Rani has enabled us to "think outside the box."

Rani's help goes beyond the culinary, though. She unstintingly gives of her time and energy to help both new and experienced low carbers. She patiently answers the same questions over and over again, and like Lee, Rani is not afraid to take a tough stand when she feels it will be of benefit to someone. She shares her own struggles, bringing us into her world, and we are all better off for Rani being in our world. Thank you, Rani, for being you, for being here, and for being my friend. I cherish you.

Kathleen Lunson, moderator of the Texas Low Carb List, is someone else I am both thankful for and indebted to. The name of Kathleen's CarbSmart column, "Tough Talk And No Nonsense," says it all. If I were free associating and someone said the word "grown-up" to me, the first person I would think of is Kathleen. Kathleen states her opinions unequivocally, and she's usually right. She's also wickedly funny. Thank you, Kathleen, for forging ahead unafraid. You've made it easily for the rest of us to do so, too.

Five years ago I would have laughed if someone had told me that I would have on line friends that I truly cared about. Shows how much I knew. (Not much!) Now, I'm not stupid enough to list you all here because I'd probably leave someone out and hurt their feelings, but you know who you are. Thank you for being my friends, and my world is both brighter and warmer now that I know you. And I hope to know you for a long, long time. Thank you so very much for letting me into your lives.

Not everybody that I'm thankful for has been around the low carb community for a long time. I have a new subscriber to my support list named Alice. You know how some people just sparkle, how certain individuals just make you smile? Alice is just that kind of person. Every time she posts something to the list, she makes me feel good. Do you remember that old Pepsi commercial with the little boy who was overrun by the litter of Labrador puppies? They swarmed over him, licking and licking, and all he could do was roll on the ground under the canine onslaught and giggle. That's how Alice makes me feel. Thank you, Alice, for lighting up my life and making me smile. Don't ever change.

Finally, if you're not already aware of it, Andrew DiMino is the owner of CarbSmart. I will be eternally grateful to Andrew for creating CarbSmart. When I first ordered from him, I didn't know that he'd just started the business. It turns out that I was his seventh customer, but I never knew that until recently because his professionalism and customer service were superb. A year later, Andrew offered me the job of editor, opening up entirely new horizons for me and giving my ego and self esteem a nice little jump start.

I mean, how often does someone give you a job that enables - no, requires! - you to shoot your mouth off? Not often. Thank you, Andrew. You're one in a million. (Bet you don't cut this paragraph.)

Andrew's Note: Thank you Di, I am thankful for you too. I appreciate the great work you and the other writers are doing to help our community succeed in the low carb lifestyle. AND, after six months of working together, I can't wait until we finally meet in person in February!

This Thanksgiving and holiday season, let's not just count the carbs, let's count our blessings, too. We all have them if we take the time to think about it. I'll be thinking of you all on Thanksgiving, and will be wishing each and every one of you a happy and healthy holiday.

Warmly and with much gratitude,

Di

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