This Thanksgiving, let’s be thankful for giving thanks. Research has shown that practicing gratitude is a good way to deal with stress or anxiety. The simple act of saying a sincere thank you, or just counting one’s blessings, can offer a cornucopia of mental and physical benefits.
So we’re fortunate to have a national holiday dedicated to showing appreciation, reminding us to seek the good in our fellow Americans, our shared experiences and ourselves. In that spirit, here are some of the people, events and more for which we’re grateful:
— Voters in the city and county of Los Angeles embraced major ethics and government reforms this fall. The city will get independent redistricting and a stronger Ethics Commission, while the county will gain a larger Board of Supervisors, an elected executive (a kind of county mayor) and, for the first time, its own ethics commission. These changes should give residents more representation, transparency and accountability.
— The federal government designated the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary off California’s Central Coast to protect the area’s biodiversity and cultural heritage. The more than 4,500-square-mile preserve will be the first in California to be managed in cooperation with Indigenous peoples.
— Californians passed Proposition 3, guaranteeing marriage rights for same-sex couples. The state’s voters had outlawed such marriages in 2008 by approving Proposition 8, and although that initiative was overturned by the courts, its language remained in the state Constitution. Now voters have amended the Constitution to recognize a fundamental right to marry and a greater measure of dignity for all.
— The Dodgers clinched their eighth World Series title with a thrilling, come-from-behind Game 5 victory over the New York Yankees. Freddie Freeman’s MVP performance throughout the series was something to behold, from his walk-off grand slam in the first game to the two-run single that helped the Dodgers win it all.
— The Los Angeles Unified School District is moving forward with a ban on student cellphone use during the school day. It won’t be easy to pry the phones out of teenagers’ hands, but it’s the right thing to do for their academic success and well-being.
— Disneyland will replace the fume-spewing gasoline engines powering its popular Autopia attraction with clean, climate-friendly electric vehicles by 2026 — finally bringing the park’s Tomorrowland back to the future.
— Thanks to voters’ support for a sales tax increase under Measure A, Los Angeles County will get billions of dollars a year for intervention and prevention services and affordable housing to alleviate the region’s homelessness crisis.
— The country is increasingly embracing the idea that not everyone needs to go to college to have a meaningful, well-compensated career and a full life. New opportunities in training and employment are opening up, and it’s about time; Switzerland has been doing this for years.
— California voters approved Proposition 4, a $10-billion state bond measure to finance clean water, climate and conservation projects. Some of the money will be spent to protect against wildfires, reduce air pollution and deal with extreme heat events.
— College admissions could become fairer now that many schools are bringing back the requirement that applicants submit SAT or ACT scores. The standardized tests are imperfect, but they are closer to an objective, across-the-board measure than anything else available, especially in light of grade inflation.
— Angelenos overwhelming backed Measure HLA on the March ballot, requiring the city to add bike and bus lanes and pedestrian improvements. The strong support sent a clear message that voters want safer streets and climate-friendly transportation choices.
— DreamWorks released the funny and beautiful animated film “The Wild Robot,” which reminded us of the meaning of family and the freedom to love even under oppression.
— Wild creatures still manage to share our urban and suburban spaces with us: Deer pick their way through L.A.’s hillsides, coyotes howl at passing sirens, mockingbirds run through their repertoires like DJs making megamixes, and mountain lions slink out of canyons and into backyards before vanishing again into the dark.
