I'm thankful for ...

Earlier this week, Facebook Data Science released an analysis of what Facebook users say they are most thankful for, then sorted the information by state and displayed the topics most distinctive for each state.

Oregonians were thankful for yoga, Oklahomans for a work ethic, and South Dakotans for the ability to laugh. Nevadans, Coloradans, and Pennsylvanians were happy to have country music. Residents of Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Florida liked beaches, and Facebook users in seven states, from North Carolina to Arkansas, were thankful for salvation and God’s forgiveness.

Some basics gained appreciation: Residents of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona were thankful for rain, and Michiganders who had lost power appreciated electricity. Californians, though, were thankful for YouTube, Kansans for Google, and Vermonters for Pinterest.

Among “gratitude topics,” sobriety and recovery received the most likes. People as they aged were more grateful for spouses and children, and less for music and coffee.

National Review asked a variety of folks to fill in the end of this sentence: “Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without …” Ralph Reed replied, “Family and football.” Marco Rubio (or one of his staffers) alliteratively upped the ante: “Faith, family, freedom, food, and football.” Other respondents included Ed Morrissey (“hugs from my granddaughters”), Stanley Kurtz (“my sister’s psychotic toy poodle”), and Eric Metaxas (“families reading my children’s book Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving aloud to the kids”).

My own response lacked cleverness but was succinct:

“Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without God to thank.”