“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” — Cicero
It’s chilly outside and the air smells like snow. Before you know it, the holidays will be here. This Thursday, for instance, is Thanksgiving Day. It is a time when we can be especially aware of the things we are thankful for.
For some reason or another, some people are unable to feel thankful even during this very special day. They may be focused on the things that they don’t have. This is rather intriguing to me because I have met a lot of people with less who are more able to feel thankful than some who have much more. So, I’m sharing some facts I would like you to think about most especially this Thanksgiving Day:
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of war, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people around the world. If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world. If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish some place, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy. If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare, even here in North America.
Happy Thanksgiving to all!