Instead of writing about my dissatisfaction with the state of the world and the human race, I’m going to take a cue from the upcoming week and instead, be thankful. As much as I despair, I am thankful, as heavy as my heart is, it does fill with joy when I see good shine through, and shine through it does. I am thankful; I am filled with gratitude for the good, for the hope, for the peace that I pray will come to this world.
I am thankful that I live in a country where I am free to wonder, free to think, and free to speak. I am thankful that I tuck my children safely into warm beds every night and do not worry that a mortar attack will wake us in the night, and that we will have to run for our lives with nothing but the clothes on our backs. I’m thankful that I am not fleeing from my own country, wondering where I am going to go next. I’m thankful that I live in a place where we are free to agree to disagree.
I am thankful that I get to be a mother. I love to nurture, and am grateful that I am allowed this privilege on a daily basis, through my home and professional life. I am grateful for my community, for being able to help in ways that others are not able and some others are not willing. I am filled with gratitude that I am able to see the difference.
I sit under my warm afghan, on my comfortable couch, in my sweet home, drinking my hot tea and am weighed down with despair. There is so much pain in this world, and most are blinded by privilege, by cowardice, or by ignorance and do not see all that there is to see. It brings me such sorrow that I cannot fix this. But, there are so many good people in this world that do see, that do hear, that do walk right in and help, the helpers of the world; I am so thankful for the helpers.
As Thanksgiving approaches, look around you, but more importantly, look inside of yourself. I know you want to think of yourself as a helper, but are you really? Let’s be thankful, but let’s also be someone to be thankful for, a helper, a doer, a seer, a listener. Happy Thanksgiving everyone, may you all be filled with gratitude and grace on this day of Thanksgiving.
