Thanksgiving Day. Being Thankful is Good for us
Thanksgiving is celebrated in the United States in November. Other countries also carry on this tradition to celebrate gratitude for the harvests received during the fall and enjoy the abundance of the earth.
Being grateful involves reflecting on the countless blessings we receive every day from the moment we wake up until we go to bed. Often, we are not aware of this because we are busy with work, doing our chores, or distracted by everyday life. Therefore, I want to invite you to reflect on who we are, thanks to the influence of so many people and all of the creation around us. Even before we were born, starting with our parents who gave us life, there was a group of people who longed for and helped our existence in our mothers’ wombs. At birth, doctors, nurses, and/or midwives welcomed us into the world. As we grow up, we interact with hundreds of people, including those who play fundamental roles, such as our family, who give us our first notion of love and appreciation; our teachers, who have taught us to read and write; our community that taught us to believe that we are the fruit of God’s loving creation; all the friends with whom we shared our childhood; and countless people we don’t even remember or are aware of, but who have been there and continue to be in our lives. We can also add to this extensive list the people who make it possible for food to reach our table. They may be hundreds of miles away, but without them, we could not live well. And so, continuing with other goods and services, the conclusion is that we cannot live in solitude; we need each other. We are who we are thanks to others. Likewise, we cannot forget the rest of creation, including all the animals, plants, landscapes, sunrises, sunsets, and the land that witnessed our birth, with its traditions, customs, languages, temperatures, scents, flavors, and colors. In short, we could spend days thinking about how blessed we are to be alive. There is a biblical story in Luke 17 in which Jesus healed 10 lepers, but only 1 returned to give thanks. Then Jesus, surprised, said, “Where are the other nine?” We might ask ourselves, ‘Where are we?’ My invitation is for us to be part of that 10% who are always grateful because the good in our lives far outweighs the negative. I am aware that terrible things are happening around us, making us feel that everything is getting worse, and leaving us disappointed. But let us not be discouraged or lose hope. Let us celebrate the victories in the struggles for justice and the dignity of every human being, because they are expressions of love, and love is stronger than death. If you have a minute to think about how you can express gratitude today, that would be great; it’s for your own good. I am grateful that you have had the opportunity to read this article. Thank you. Rev. Israel Portilla-Gómez s Associate Rector at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. 2222 E Tudor Rd, Anchorage, AK 99507. [email protected]. (907) 563-3341. Ext. 13. |