Sunday, November 29, 2015
Sunday Reflection: Thankful
My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. I love it, most of all, because of the spiritual value at its core: Thankfulness. It is a universal spiritual value, of course, not limited to people who are Christian or those who claim a faith tradition at all.
Yet, it is a spiritual value in the sense that it pulls our spirit towards something other than ourselves. It's a gently, powerful thing, thankfulness-- it turns our attention away from our needs and disadvantages, and towards the good things in our lives. To be grateful is to recognize that the world has good in it, and that we share in that. It's a recognition of bounty.
One irony I have noticed is that it is sometimes those who have the most who find it the hardest to truly give thanks. And, in that, they are missing out on a deep gift of the spirit.
Yet, it is a spiritual value in the sense that it pulls our spirit towards something other than ourselves. It's a gently, powerful thing, thankfulness-- it turns our attention away from our needs and disadvantages, and towards the good things in our lives. To be grateful is to recognize that the world has good in it, and that we share in that. It's a recognition of bounty.
One irony I have noticed is that it is sometimes those who have the most who find it the hardest to truly give thanks. And, in that, they are missing out on a deep gift of the spirit.
