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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Chilton County has a lot to be thankful for.

Crops were mostly good this past season. New businesses have opened, and plans for new industry are taking shape.

With Christmas right around the corner, the hustle and bustle of trying to make everything perfect can be overwhelming. It’s so fitting that we have a holiday set aside to being thankful right before celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

A thankful heart is a great way to begin a season of celebration to keep things in perspective.

This year, I am thankful for all of the great people in Chilton County that I have met and been able to write about.

I am thankful for family that lives in this state that I can share the holiday with. (Most of my family lives out of state.) I am thankful for the good times I have had trying new recipes and other things I have had the opportunity to do this year.

Each year, I visit second grade classrooms to get information for our special section featuring what they are thankful for.

Reading the students’ comments always leads to laughs at some cute answers and moments of reflection over the deeper answers. Usually there are a lot of variety from the standard friends and family to the more specific one, such as a teacher or pet.

This year’s answers will be published in this year’s Thanksgiving edition.

Whatever your Thanksgiving plans, set aside some time to reflect on what specifically this year you have to be thankful for —beyond just the standard basics.

Reflecting on the positive things that have happened this year can help when trying to stay “merry and bright” in the coming month.