One of my all-time favorites came for a former parishioner named Rose when I was serving the Saugatuck Congregational Church in Westport, CT. I had spoken at the board meeting of a local social service agency. It was one of the agencies the church's mission board supported and Rose served on the agency's board for many years. She was writing to thank me for taking the time to meet with them, and offered some very kind words about a brief meditation about gratitude that I had offered. In the note she also expressed her appreciation for the church.
"It's so easy," she wrote, "to take our many blessings for granted as you pointed out. Yesterday I stopped to think about some of the things I have to be thankful for. Thanks for reminding me."
I suppose we all need to be reminded from time to time. Like children caught up in the excitement of new toys at Christmas, sometimes we need to be prodded into offering up our words of thanksgiving.
So consider this a prod--a reminder. As we move into this week of formal thanksgiving, what is it that you consider among your blessings? And who do you need to thank? God? After all, God is the Source of Life itself! Your family? A treasured teacher, friend or clergy person? Maybe the neighbor who takes care of your cat when you are out of town. Or the cashier at your grocery store who always remembers you like your groceries' packed just so. Maybe it's the doctor who performed your hip surgery. Whatever--whoever--now is a good time to say thank you. Write a note. Send an e-mail. Make a phone call. Just do it!
PS: And thank you, my faithful blog readers! I truly appreciate your visiting this site week after week! Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
I'm thankful for our friendship, John, and for all the ways you guided me in spiritual direction - I can still occasionally hear your voice when I'm struggling with some issue!
ReplyDeleteStrange times we live in. Both locally and worldwide, and until very recently, my thankfulness would have been directed elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteToday I am thankful for the farmers who are the foundation of civilization and put food on our tables, knowing that All the small growers in the wake of Hurricane Irma have suffered grievous losses
And also , as hard as it is, I am thankful that Finally, after all these years, we have put a spotlight on the pervasive trauma of sexual harassment and are finally exposing it to the world.