Today I’m thankful for astronomy.
My father has always been interested in space. He passed that yen on to me. I think I was 6 or 7 the first time he showed me the moon through his telescope. I could see individual craters and shadows. It was astonishing.
I remember another night when I was about 12. It was freezing. My city had received a significant amount of snow and it crusted because the weather was so cold. That night the sky was flawless. Dad and I put on multiple layers of clothing, enough so that I had trouble bending my arms. We went outside and rested on the snow for a while, looking up at the stars. It was so still. Mental images of that night are what I use to deal with frustration or the general venialities of life.
Slightly tangentially, consider checking out the Bad Astronomy website. Phil Plait is both wildly funny and informative.
(image from http://www.constellation-guide.com)