Thanksgiving Reflection
Greetings and happy Thanksgiving, All.
I urge everyone to take a moment and give thanks for all you have been blessed with and while you do, remember those less fortunate in your prayers. I would also encourage you to remember our military troops all over the world. Prayer is powerful, no matter your faith, so join me in praying for our brave men and women and their families. Were it not for them our world would be in chaos and none of us would be enjoying this day. Blessings to all who stand up for our country and fight for our freedom.
As the end of this year grows nigh I have begun to reflect upon time past and time to come. While the last year has been one of turmoil and change I choose not to dwell upon the bad but rather, dwell upon the good which those changes have wrought. The broad picture is sobering, to say the least, but if one takes the time and makes the effort, one can pare down the scope and manage it in smaller sections in order to deal with life. As each of us tend to lock in on that which directly effects our personal life, we sometimes miss other things that effect us, in the long run. How so?
We sit in our comfortable spaces and watch the war going on in Iraq and when we tire of it, technology allows us to zap it into oblivion with the push of a button. The same goes for any unpleasant scenario that makes us feel uncomfortable, homeless people without food and shelter; weather related destruction; countries and peoples ravaged by disease and famine, and so on. While we may zap those from the television screen and tell ourselves we are not directly effected, the fact remains that those suffering, directly, cannot be spun off into oblivion simply because we wish it so. Like it or not, the reality is ever in our faces.
My point? None of us are exempt from what takes place around us and all of us, regardless of Kind, have the responsibility born of belonging to this life. One cannot accept the bounty without giving something in return. Though many are willing to sit back and reap the benefits while others contribute their time and effort, the day will come when the non-contributors are forced to face reality. May not be tomorrow, next week, or next year but come it will. Force is what so often sends one spiraling downward into the depths of despair, breeds anger and hatred, and causes one to lash out at society and loved ones. Happens everyday, everywhere and all because one takes life for granted. No amount of money, intelligence, or willingness to barter one's duty can protect against the force of reality.
The meaning behind Thanksgiving is not relegated to a select few, as some pretend. It is not just for Christians, or a particular Kind, to reflect upon. If we but stop and consider, look beyond the obvious such as tables laden with fine food; the gathering of family and friends; the count down to Christmas; parades; shopping; and all the other fanfare and revelry related to the season, mayhap we might grasp the intended meaning of this holiday. The breaking down of barriers between the Pilgrims and Indians, and the sharing of bounty at the same table between former enemies, was another in a long line of steps taken toward peace and acceptance among all. How many times has that step taken been blocked and the efforts cast aside, all for wont of disenfranchising those we either do not care to, or fear, to understand? Too many to mention.
This world is not the property of any one Kind but home and hearth to all who dwell here. Privilege; be it wealth, health, class, superior intelligence, or the combination thereof, is often the factor that leads to the assuming of that which is not rightfully, or solely, one's own. Like it or not, the same rights to life and prosperity belong as much to the homeless, as the rich and powerful; one Kind, as another; one faith, as another... The drift should be obvious.
As you sit down to your Thanksgiving meal you are not the only one giving thanks for your blessings, while forgetting that outside your safe little world there are many not so fortunate, as you. And while you lay claim to being caring and kind toward others, those others are left wondering just what your caring and kindness extends to. The harsh reality is glaringly obvious. One has but to look around your table to see the narrow scope of your claim, for sitting at your table are only those whom you select as 'deserving' of a place -the chosen. Non? Is there among you and yours one without a home or the means to purchase a meal? Is there a Pagan invited among Christians and Protestants? A Werewolf or Vampyre among humans?
Choice belongs to one and all but when that choice is the result of narrow vision, dislike, selfishness, fear, or the unwillingness to accept each for whom and what they are, the only one undeserving of blessings sitting at your table is you. What it all comes down to this day is not about simply breaking fast with a select few, but extending the hand of friendship and kindness; opening your home and your heart so that others may enjoy acceptance along with the camaraderie and the food. Ponder, and Blessed May You Be.
I urge everyone to take a moment and give thanks for all you have been blessed with and while you do, remember those less fortunate in your prayers. I would also encourage you to remember our military troops all over the world. Prayer is powerful, no matter your faith, so join me in praying for our brave men and women and their families. Were it not for them our world would be in chaos and none of us would be enjoying this day. Blessings to all who stand up for our country and fight for our freedom.
As the end of this year grows nigh I have begun to reflect upon time past and time to come. While the last year has been one of turmoil and change I choose not to dwell upon the bad but rather, dwell upon the good which those changes have wrought. The broad picture is sobering, to say the least, but if one takes the time and makes the effort, one can pare down the scope and manage it in smaller sections in order to deal with life. As each of us tend to lock in on that which directly effects our personal life, we sometimes miss other things that effect us, in the long run. How so?
We sit in our comfortable spaces and watch the war going on in Iraq and when we tire of it, technology allows us to zap it into oblivion with the push of a button. The same goes for any unpleasant scenario that makes us feel uncomfortable, homeless people without food and shelter; weather related destruction; countries and peoples ravaged by disease and famine, and so on. While we may zap those from the television screen and tell ourselves we are not directly effected, the fact remains that those suffering, directly, cannot be spun off into oblivion simply because we wish it so. Like it or not, the reality is ever in our faces.
My point? None of us are exempt from what takes place around us and all of us, regardless of Kind, have the responsibility born of belonging to this life. One cannot accept the bounty without giving something in return. Though many are willing to sit back and reap the benefits while others contribute their time and effort, the day will come when the non-contributors are forced to face reality. May not be tomorrow, next week, or next year but come it will. Force is what so often sends one spiraling downward into the depths of despair, breeds anger and hatred, and causes one to lash out at society and loved ones. Happens everyday, everywhere and all because one takes life for granted. No amount of money, intelligence, or willingness to barter one's duty can protect against the force of reality.
The meaning behind Thanksgiving is not relegated to a select few, as some pretend. It is not just for Christians, or a particular Kind, to reflect upon. If we but stop and consider, look beyond the obvious such as tables laden with fine food; the gathering of family and friends; the count down to Christmas; parades; shopping; and all the other fanfare and revelry related to the season, mayhap we might grasp the intended meaning of this holiday. The breaking down of barriers between the Pilgrims and Indians, and the sharing of bounty at the same table between former enemies, was another in a long line of steps taken toward peace and acceptance among all. How many times has that step taken been blocked and the efforts cast aside, all for wont of disenfranchising those we either do not care to, or fear, to understand? Too many to mention.
This world is not the property of any one Kind but home and hearth to all who dwell here. Privilege; be it wealth, health, class, superior intelligence, or the combination thereof, is often the factor that leads to the assuming of that which is not rightfully, or solely, one's own. Like it or not, the same rights to life and prosperity belong as much to the homeless, as the rich and powerful; one Kind, as another; one faith, as another... The drift should be obvious.
As you sit down to your Thanksgiving meal you are not the only one giving thanks for your blessings, while forgetting that outside your safe little world there are many not so fortunate, as you. And while you lay claim to being caring and kind toward others, those others are left wondering just what your caring and kindness extends to. The harsh reality is glaringly obvious. One has but to look around your table to see the narrow scope of your claim, for sitting at your table are only those whom you select as 'deserving' of a place -the chosen. Non? Is there among you and yours one without a home or the means to purchase a meal? Is there a Pagan invited among Christians and Protestants? A Werewolf or Vampyre among humans?
Choice belongs to one and all but when that choice is the result of narrow vision, dislike, selfishness, fear, or the unwillingness to accept each for whom and what they are, the only one undeserving of blessings sitting at your table is you. What it all comes down to this day is not about simply breaking fast with a select few, but extending the hand of friendship and kindness; opening your home and your heart so that others may enjoy acceptance along with the camaraderie and the food. Ponder, and Blessed May You Be.
posted by Dreamteller at
5:17 AM
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