Thinking about thanking

This is the time of year when, encouraged by sentiment and commercialism, we are encouraged to think about what we are thankful for. Seldom are we encouraged to look behind those thoughts, perhaps to examine why we are thankful for the things we think we are thankful for, if you see what I mean.

It isn't that we aren't thankful, that we don’t appreciate the things we have, or even that we aren't aware of the good things in our lives. Most of us are; it’s part of being human. The reason we perhaps need to pause and consider is that so much of what we should appreciate in our lives we take for granted, depend on to be there, expect to have. Things like the sun being there when the earth turns to it, like water we can depend on, or green edible things poking up from the soil. Things like friends, and family and health we also seem to take for granted. For fewer and fewer people there is also shelter and clothing and a way to get from one place to another, and something to do when we get there (like jobs). There is always something for which we can be thankful.

What are the positive things in your life? Without getting too metaphysical, can you list them and relate them to something you have done to make them happen? The key words would be work, give, help, avoid, reject, accept, take, move, stop . . . on and on, the words that describe moving the world a step closer to good, a step away from evil.

I am most thankful for all those who work to make the world a better place.