Reflections on a Thanksgiving Day

Reflections on a Thanksgiving Day

Whether by cultural indoctrination, genetic coding, evolutionary quirk, emergent property of the brain, divine grace, or whatever, most of us tend to express our gratitude when we receive something good and pleasant that we did not ask for, or which, we feel, need not have been given to us.

Every day that we rise from sleep and return to rest with intermediary conscious experiences which are shared and sympathetic, reflective or serving, pleasant or caring we have reason to be thankful.

Some of us need to picture a Recipient for our thoughts and words and deep-felt feelings of gratitude: this, more than anything else, can be motivation for believing in a divine principle.

Traditions and nations sometimes reserve a day of the year for a collective expression of these feelings.  Thus, for the United States, this is the Thanksgiving Day.

REFLECTIONS ON A THANKSGIVING DAY

We’re thankful for work, for paychecks that feed; May all who are seeking, find the jobs that they need!

We’re thankful for comforts that in life play a role; May we strive also for something that’s nobler as goal!

We’re thankful for knowledge that lights up the mind; May wisdom it bring, that’s harder to find!

We’re thankful for freedoms to preach and to prate; May we not use them for filth or for hate!

We’re thankful for the wonders of technology; May we not ignore our earth’s ecology!

We’re thankful for faith that worships and prays; May it not tarnish our secular ways!

We’re thankful we honor human rights; May we help all peoples in their freedom fights!

We’re thankful for laws against discrimination; May they ring loud in the hearts of the nation!

We’re thankful for arms that protect us fully; May they never turn us into a detested bully!

We’re thankful for the honors our nation has won; May we work on the tasks that still must be done.

We’re thankful for bounties our planet doth bare; May all in the world have also a share!

We’re thankful for blessings, both present and past; May we labor with love for a peace that will last!