Last modified: Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:29 PM PST The Backroads: Being thankful By Sean Hart Argus Observer I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Mine actually turned out pretty well, and I realized I have much to be thankful for, despite being a little down on luck and funds lately. My car was having quite a bit of trouble early last week — one of the worst weeks it possibly could have happened — and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do about it because I sure couldn’t afford to fix it, especially after dumping several hundred dollars into it a few weeks ago. Luckily, a friend helped me out, and we were able to get it running well again rather inexpensively Tuesday night. Then, after spending Wednesday night with some other good friends, I took my grandmother to an aunt’s house for a delicious feast Thanksgiving Day, getting endowed with many little pieces of wisdom on the way out and getting completely stuffed with a grand meal when we arrived. I was able to spend some time with a few relatives I rarely see, which really was nice. Family and friends truly have an amazing impact on all our lives — even those of us less socially inclined. We really are a social species, whether or not we’d like to be, and having good people around us makes us better, I think. In that regard, I have certainly been blessed with great family and friends who can put up with my somewhat-hermit-like, half-insane personality. On the home front, my new cat has become much more friendly and less shy. He’s come out of his shell and opened up tremendously, giving me a chance to get to know him, for which I am definitely thankful. (I guess some creatures just take a little longer to come around.) And, even without family or friends or pets, there is one thing we can all be grateful for: reasonably-priced gasoline. I was absolutely amazed when I filled up — after lurching my car to the pump before fixing it Tuesday — for less than $50. It was actually about half of that, and, as a commuter, I am thankful I will now be able to afford to eat next week — after finishing off the leftovers, of course. The gas prices have been so bad lately, I hadn’t gone on a drive for months. If you couldn’t tell by the name of my column, I am a fan of the backroads, but I rarely get to enjoy them anymore because I haven’t been able to afford to leave the house very often. With a cheaper tank of gas fueling my Taurus, though, I decided to experience the road not too long ago, and it was every bit as good as I remembered it, if not better. I’m actually writing a song that centers around the freedom and solace of the open road in the face of difficult societal standards and life’s shortcomings. Although my former musical project fell through, leaving me as a solo act, I am thankful I can still write and play music. So, even when life has got you down and nothing you do seems to bring you back up, there is probably something you have for which to be thankful. Sometimes, it just takes some introspection, and, other times, it just takes getting out of the house and onto the road or into a conversation. Either way, try not to forget the good things in your life this holiday season, how few or many they might be. You’ll be much happier and thankful. Sean Hart is the lifestyle editor for the Argus Observer. He can be contacted at SeanH@argusobserver.com.