Yet, more than these obvious blessings, there are the not so apparent gifts that lie shrouded in the difficulties of my life. What of the events that challenge me, my values, my patience? Am I thankful for them and the lessons they teach? Who would I be, really, if I never had to exert myself to exercise forgiveness and patience; never had to assess what I believe; never had to humble myself in prayer; never had to employ my work ethic?
I wonder, what kind of life would I have without gratitude? What kind of person would I be if every time I desired a blessing it was given to me? No work, no challenge, no effort. Would I be grateful? What if every friendship came as something due to me in the course of my life? What if I never gave back, never extended encouragement, never showed up for other peoples' special occasions, and everyone always agreed with me? What if I was fed, clothed, housed, and cared for without any effort on my part? Would I appreciate these blessings?
Our Pilgrim forefathers and mothers saw challenges aplenty. They suffered harsh winters, left behind family and friends in their mother lands, and watched loved ones die. Nevertheless, they still knelt in humble prayer and thanksgiving. They celebrated the blessings they received, though they had reason to bitterly lament the trials they suffered. They embraced the help afforded them by their Native American friends who taught them to plant corn, and helped them through their first years of settlement in a new land, and they were grateful.
It's so easy to express appreciation when the sun shines on our life, and our circumstances are fine. However, that's not the sum total of all that comprises our lives. Like the pilgrims, we each have our landings in new and unexplored places. We each face our own bitter winters and deprivations. Are we grateful for these challenges and for the lessons they teach us, for the values they test, for the way they change our hearts? Are we grateful for the friends who help us through these times until we can get acclimated to our new circumstances?
When our gratitude focuses on the wonderful blessings that grace our lives with ease and happiness, that is good. When it becomes a power that is so internalized that it can transcend even the harsh circumstances of life, that is better. This Thanksgiving, as we celebrate all that affords us joy and ease, I hope we will also take time to examine our difficulties and give thanks for what those circumstances are teaching us; how they are changing us; and the new and better people we can become because of our trials.
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