On Real Thanks

I sometimes think that if the pilgrims had landed on the coast of California rather than Plymouth Rock, we might not have needed a day of Thanksgiving! Certainly winter in the Golden State would have been a little easier. Nevertheless a prescribed opportunity to give thanks on the national level allows us a space to consider what it means to live in America, imperfect as it may be. The good part about living in a relatively young country set up with democratic ideals is that its citizens are never satisfied with the status quo. Democracy may be inordinately messy and hugely inefficient, but the self-corrective mechanisms within it insure new life and new possibilities. I’m very thankful for this, that America has the possibilities to heal wrongs, set in motion rights, and that its people can enter into its governance as much or as little as they like, although it’s easy to forget that freedom does not happen all by itself. It needs constant care and attention, which is what real citizenship affords.

Thanksgiving is a spiritual practice...
The whole idea of thanksgiving is connected with the status of freedom. It is difficult to want to give thanks when you’re cramped and constrained. On the other hand, if the freedom door is slammed shut, real thanks can gradually push it open. Thanksgiving is a spiritual practice; in itself it creates an attitude of openness. It allows for an expectancy of what is on the way but perhaps not yet arrived. It carries within it the validation of whatever good the status quo holds and makes way for more expansive living.

A state of mind...
Thanksgiving begins as a state of mind. It appreciates the nourishment in a single apple and knows that a bowl of fruit cannot be far behind. Paeans of thanks may be given as a group at special meetings, but the hearts of the ones giving thanks need to be activated if the thanksgiving is to be real.

A few minutes in reflective thanksgiving...
When I’m sitting in my favorite chair in the evenings, I try to be conscious enough to spend a few minutes in reflective thanksgiving for the things that are important to me. They don’t all have to be easy and pleasant, but they do indicate where I find myself in my world at this time.