Thanksgiving is fast approaching here in the United States. It is a holiday where everyone steps aside from work and focuses on family, friends, and everything one has to be thankful for. But as I look at society I have to wonder... do people remember how to be thankful anymore? Do people even believe they have anything to be thankful for? Because to recognize we are thankful means to recognize that there are things we experience, we have, that were given to us and not earned... things we both need and desire.
It means we can't do everything for ourselves and in a society where hard work and independence is idolized, being thankful is not very popular. Whining and complaining creates much better gossip.
We tend to forget that in life the most important things are freely given... but sadly, not always appreciated. It is true that we cannot earn love, we cannot earn forgiveness, we cannot force respect, choose where we are born or under which circumstance our lives will begin. But we can choose to recognize and cherish the significance of living.
We are surrounded by beauty anywhere and everywhere we go but many times we are too busy, too miserable to notice. We are even more blind to the beauty in ourselves, preferring to compare who we are to what we think is better in others and creating a prison for our own potential.
Are you thankful for who you are at this moment?
Many of us would hope to be better than what we are and that's fine. But the moment we let the hopes for our ideal selves overshadow genuine contentment, genuine thankfulness in what we are as an individual and what our lives contribute to others, then we miss out.
And if we're truly honest, the moment we're no longer thankful is the moment we lose one of the greatest joys of life... to be aware and appreciative of our own existence. Not so that we become arrogant or selfish, but that we might love more deeply, work with greater excellence, and strive to become who God created us to be... His joy and pride through Jesus Christ.
" Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever." ~ Psalm 136:26
5 comments:
Thanks for this encouraging post.
I feel like I'm being reminded everyday of the importance of life and the gravity of death.
I am thankfull. Always. And aware of how lucky I am to be alive.
I chose the Nursing career so I could each the pain of other people. Show them love.
PS: Did you give up on your "Simply Sincerity" blog?
Hey, I added you to my contact list.
lone grey squirrel:
You're welcome! I hope you're having a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.
algelic:
That's neat that life and death are things you think about. Some people never bother.
I am planning to start posting in Simply Sincerity again. I've been holding off because I want to improve the layout of that blog.
borrego:
Hey to too! Thanks! I'm flattered!
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