Ok, I’ll admit it. This Thanksgiving column - normally my favorite one to write - is going to be a little bit harder this year.

Let’s face it, the economy stinks. It’s the worst it’s been in 70 years, since the Great Depression.

You can call it the Great Recession or the Little Depression. Doesn’t matter, it is what it is.

The government can say whatever it wants about GDP, but I’ll trust audited numbers pegged to bank accounts. All S&P 500 companies combined are down 10 percent in revenue. This corroborates Mississippi tax receipts, which are down 12 percent.

These are uncharted waters for my generation. We must all hang together or we will surely hang separately.

My generation was due some tough luck. We were the first generation which didn’t have to fight a war. Compare this to our grandfathers who had to face the Great Depression, followed by World War II and the terrifying Cold War and its threat of nuclear annihilation.

So let’s not complain too loudly. Let’s think about all we have to be thankful for.

You simply cannot compare the hardships of the Great Depression to our recent unpleasantness.

First of all, the Great Depression was about twice as severe as our recent unpleasantness in terms of output decline and unemployment.

Second, our prosperity has increased so much over 70 years that deprivation today means skipping out on a fancy vacation rather than going hungry.

Back then, deprivation meant shoes with holes in the soles. Today, deprivation means passing up the cable offer for the next high definition premium channel tier.

Back then deprivation meant entire families wandering on dusty roads from town to town searching for work. Today, deprivation means being bored and frustrated sitting around at home living off your unemployment check.

Back then deprivation meant living in a tent. Today deprivation means stressful negotiations with banks as you work out a new payment structure for your past-due home mortgage.

Back then deprivation meant banks closing and your money vanishing. Today deprivation means worrying about the impact on the federal deficit as the Fed steps in and props up our financial institutions.

Back then, deprivation meant young children dying of a host of untreatable bacterial infections. Today deprivation means having to wait a few hours in a busy emergency room.

Back then deprivation meant mayonnaise sandwiches. Today deprivation means cutting back on your cell phone ring tone downloads.

Back then deprivation meant no job. Today deprivation means having to work harder, longer and for less pay than in 2007.

Back then deprivation led to massive federal works projects involving millions. Today deprivation means dealing with the pros and cons of the stimulus package.

Let me sum it up: You cannot even begin to compare the deprivation of our tough economy today with what our ancestors dealt with. So suck it up, tighten the belt and get down to work.

We are the same people that survived 10 times worse. Compared to what we are capable of dealing with, this is nothing. This is child’s play.

Look at our incredible abundance. It’s almost laughable. Our biggest problem is we are too fat! We have too much good food to resist.

Just think of our fresh water and fresh air. Think of our amazing churches and schools. Think of our roads and cars. Think of our vibrant media now, with the Internet giving every citizen the world at their fingertips.

Three years ago, we were all worried about running out of gas. Now with 150 mpg electric cars on the drawing board, liquefied natural gas, wind and solar power, next-generation nuclear power plants, clean coal gasification, is anybody really worried about running out of energy?

It is true, this is not heaven. No matter how much material abundance we have, it is still life, meaning it is still hard. Life was never meant to be easy. Death is easy. We have our crises by the bucketful. All day long, every one of us. No getting around that. If it were not so, it would not be life.

We live in the richest country in the history of the world. Not only that, we live in the nicest part, with abundant nature and wildlife, water, and a perfect mild climate with all four seasons.

We hit a bump along the road. The worst is over and we have many good years ahead.