It’s sometimes easy to forget to be thankful. To be grateful for all we have. We become accustomed to the abundance in our lives, and often focus on a perceived lack. If only we had ______ (fill in the blank), we’d be happier. Truth is, most of us have more than what we need. Need, not want, mind you. If you have shelter, clothes, food, fuel, and at least some level of security, your creature comforts (needs) have been met. If you aren’t happy, or satisfied, at this juncture, chances are you will never be.
I often look at what I have and think about just how fortunate I am. Oh, I’ve worked most of my life, beginning in my early teens. I’ve earned the money which bought much of what surrounds me. But truth be told? Nothing I have comes from my hard work alone. The lumber and concrete, electrical and plumbing, tile and walls, furnace and water heater…all were fabricated by others, with materials fabricated by others. They were installed by others. Furniture, books, TVs, toys, appliances…all came from someone else’s hard work. They were built, packaged, shipped, shelved, and sold. Many hands touched everything in my home long before my hard-earned dollars were passed across a counter. It is…well, it is mind-boggling.
In Star Trek, there are a group of aliens called the Borg, who form what they call a collective. They are bee-like, with a hive mentality, not individual thinkers, and they know their very survival depends on their ability to work together. Humanity is our collective. Our community. We do nothing on our own. Nothing. We can’t possibly. We are linked to each other in ways we often don’t even think about.
So, as you gather ‘round your Thanksgiving table with your loved ones, and you rejoice in the food you are about to eat, think about, and thank, all those who helped bring that food to your table, including the life of the bird (for the non-vegetarians), sacrificed for your eating enjoyment. Thank your parents, your ancestors, and all those who have walked this Earth before you. Thank those who have created something you use in your life, and thank those who have touched your life. See them all, thank them all, and remind yourself to be humble. You didn’t get here on your own. It takes a village…and a world.
Happy Thanksgiving!
~jwb~
Oh so true. Life is not to be lived alone but to share oneself with others. So every day should be a day to reach out to those you know and those you hope to know and share the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
Well said, as always. As a family, we go around the table and say what we are thankful for. Sometimes the response is simple – “family” or if you’re under 13 “video games”. This year I am thankful for not only for the people I love, but for the house I live in, and the four-legged babies that surround me and give me a reason to get up in the morning. I am thankful I live in the Pacific NW, where we don’t have to worry too much about devastating forest fires, or category 5 hurricanes, or monster tornadoes threatening all that I hold dear. My heart goes out to all those who don’t have a home, or a purpose, or loved ones. May they find some shelter, comfort, and hope this Holiday Season.
I put a comment out here yesterday but it’s not showing up.😟 Pity, because it was fairly profound. But I agree with what you have said. I am grateful for Michele and for my family and friends, for my dogs for their unconditional love and companionship, for my home, for the area of the country in which I live, for my overall health – even the Fibromyalgia, especially FMS. Without that, I wouldn’t be the person I am today, and this might sound odd, but I am grateful for my mother’s death because through that profound experience of helping her transition, I learned that Life continues beyond physical death and it’s nothing to be feared. I am grateful for all that and so much more.