In a year of chaos coming out of Washington, many of us are not feeling particularly grateful. Yet, it’s more important than ever to be so, even if you’re not feeling it, according to Robert Emmons , professor of psychology at the University of California-Davis. Expressions of gratitude, he maintains, help us deal with bad news and overcome setbacks.

“In the face of demoralization, gratitude has the power to energize,” Emmons wrote. “In the face of brokenness, gratitude has the power to heal. In the face of despair, gratitude has the power to bring hope.”

Thanksgiving, therefore, is a timely opportunity to refill our souls with hopefulness. And I wish to take full advantage by giving thanks to the following exceptional Americans:

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