Why We Give Thanks Each year Americans celebrate a day of thanksgiving. Ironically this often happens to coincide with the most stressful time of the year for many of us. One cause of this stress is being unable to be with family for variety of reasons. Maybe you can’t get the time off, your flight gets canceled due to weather, your loved one is in the service and far from home, or a snowstorm decides to invade your travel plans. Throw in the whole Black Friday weekend shopping experience and a serious dose of Valium could be in order. In the process of trying to make this one of the most unpleasant experiences of the year we all too often forget why this is called Thanksgiving Day. I could go on and write about the history of the first Thanksgiving but I will keep from boring most of you. Let’s just say it was a generous gift by Native Americans towards a struggling group of invaders (the first “Americans”) who were near death and clueless as to how to make a life in their “New World”. What reward did these Indians receive for their generosity? A truly heartfelt thanks from the settlers…and near genocide from their ancestors. I think it is ironic how many Americans have forgotten the meaning of generosity. (Generosity: readiness or liberality in giving.) We sit around the family tables and spend 3 minutes giving thanks for this or that on one day of the year. This is all well and good and usually heartfelt and genuine as well. The question that comes to mind is simply this; what am I willing to give to make someone else’s life just a little better? It may be something as simple as a can of soup to the local food bank, a little extra to your church on Sunday, donating your time to any number of organizations that benefit the homeless, you get the idea. What I find amazing is many are willing to offer their help in the above manner but when asked to take an extra $5 from their paychecks in taxes to help those in need it is tantamount to war. When income inequality is at its highest ever in America and over 43% of Americans are in poverty it becomes clear that generosity has left the building. I am not trying to make a politic point here. In fact I hope I don’t get any replies of a political nature. What I am trying to share is there has never been a time in this country when so many people (most due to no fault of their own) need a little help. The burning question is simply this. If you are grateful for the hand that has been given you are you willing to offer generosity towards those less fortunate? One of my favorite quotes is “gratitude is the key to heaven”. This does not simply mean to be grateful for all the blessings in your life. It also means to be grateful for the stubbed toes, the heartbreaks, and the setbacks, for we are here to learn the hard lessons. When you can be grateful for every moment in your life generosity will be your way life. And the reward for living such a lifestyle? It may be nothing more than a smile from someone who will be eternally grateful. Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends and family of who I am very thankful for helping me learn the meaning of gratitude. Be safe in your holiday travels.
Posted on: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 00:03:27 +0000
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