Thanksgiving

We found the following to share with you:

“It’s only right, at this special time of the year, that we pause for a moment and ask ourselves what it is that we have to be thankful for. If there is a special day for giving thanks, let us know at least what it is for which we give that thanks.

The answer is not always at our fingertips. It is not always clear. We read the headlines of newspapers, we listen to the voice from the radio, and we watch the TV screen and what do we see? We see crimes so horrible that it sickens every decent man and woman. We see the results of war and natural disasters mirrored in the horror-stricken faces of its victims. We see tragedy, upon tragedy, hunger, poverty, and degradation. We see several workers losing their job. This is what we see, and certainly the doubt must come that we have little to be thankful for in this far from perfect world. We can understand how this feeling could arise, for certainly, there is much in this life which causes us pain and frustration.

There is much which we regret and condemn, and make no mistake about it; there is much that is good and worthwhile in this world, if we look for it. Especially in our community we can find individuals who give of themselves in every way. We find people who risk their own lives to save others or the victims of unexpected tragedy. We find people who, when tragedy strikes, are there to provide relief and comfort to those who suffer. We find people who time and time again have been there when they were needed and have asked nothing in return except the chance to serve again.

This we can find if we choose to look for it. We can find love conquering hate every day. We can find homeless children in our community, it is true. But we also find men and women with hearts full of love. A love so large it incorporates those children so that they are adopted and raised in families that are thankful for a chance to share that love with a child. For every negative act, we can find an act of kindness, an act of giving, and act of love. It is there that we look for it.

What can we be thankful for? We can be thankful for each other. We can be thankful that in this world filled with tragedy we have people whose lives are a triumph. We can be thankful that for every individual who takes from society in terms of crime and terror, we have 10, 20, 100, and 1,000 who give each and every day of their lives, in terms of love, care, selflessness, and concern for others. Let us all rejoice for these wonderful things and be thankful during this time of the year and throughout the entire year. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.”