To be thankful
is good
when it’s genuine.
And sometimes even when it’s not.
But I wonder if the best kind of gratitude
is the kind that can hold
both
thankfulness and longing
gratefulness and grief
abundance and loss
together at once.
Because it breaks my heart
when I see
thankfulness thrown over
someone’s pain
or our own pain
like a Hello Kitty band-aid
on a broken arm
with words like
well just be thankful it’s not worse
and
put on a happy face
and
stop your whining.
Because
yes
it could always be worse.
Let’s remember that.
And let’s not forget that
it is worse
for so many others.
But where we are right now
matters.
And sometimes where we are
is honestly hard
to be thankful for.
So on a day like today,
let’s be oh so very
gratefully
aware
that we are lavishly blessed.
Many of us have more food
and warmth
and possibilities
than we know what to do with.
And most of us have many people
we love
and are loved by.
But let’s be thankful
without shaming
ourselves
or anyone else
for maybe not feeling
completely giddy
about it
all the time.
Don’t you think?
xo
__
Happy Thanksgiving, friends. I am beyond thankful to have so many of you in my life.
2 Comments