The Holiday Season, staring with Thanksgiving, always gets me thinking about all that I have in my life to be thankful for – a job, a roof over my head, the love of family and friends and my health. It also fills me with more compassion for those who have less than I have, for those who are homeless, struggling with losing their homes, tortured or imprisoned wrongfully and those who are starving.
The day before Thanksgiving, I was in the line at the grocery store and a senior citizen man was in front of me. He had the makings for a minimal Thanksgiving dinner. He could not afford the bill and the cashier was nice enough to subtract one item at a time to meet what he could afford. He finally ended up with about half of what he had originally chosen. It was very sad to watch for me and the cashier.
Then on Monday after Thanksgiving I heard a lecture from a woman therapist that had just returned from a working trip to the Congo in Africa. She had visited refugee camps. She told some of the stories she was told of the killing of innocent adults and children they witnesses and the tortures many of them endured. It was heart-breaking.
Then Thursday this week in the news were the stories about how many hundreds of thousands of people in this country would be losing their unemployment. Having been unemployed for over 2 years I know how scary it is to think the money you are living from may stop at any moment and you could end up out on the street and homeless yourself. I know what these people must be going through and at normally what is the happiest time of the year. I feel very sad for those people. It makes me angry that our politicians do nothing to stop large corporations from sending jobs overseas, they in fact encourage it. It used to really mean something when I was growing up that products were “Made in America”.
Anyway, my point was that I am very thankful for all that I have in my life. I have a job I enjoy, even though it pays less than my previous job before I was unemployed and I have had to tighten my belt. I have a place to live. I have family and friends who love me and are always there for me. I have a positive attitude and am able to see the good in every situation. I give thanks daily for all I have.
I’d love to hear what you are thankful for.
