As the sun goes down on this Thanksgiving, what are you thankful or grateful for?
And what would you like to be grateful for?
So what are you grateful for?
As the sun goes down on this Thanksgiving, what are you thankful or grateful for?
And what would you like to be grateful for?
Wheat & Tares 
It’s amazing to live in the United States in the 2000s, especially when you think about all the other places and times we could be a part of. It’s absolutely amazing and something I’m very thankful for.
Harold B Lee didn’t believe living in the US in the late 1900s was amazing. He thought we (LDS in the US in the 20th Century) we’re here for a reason. It was meant to be. We deserved to be here thanks to our pre-mortal performance. We were lucky to not suffer from “national limitations” like other people.
So yes, as a post-TBM, I have no why idea I’m here (US) now (2021). But I am and I’m thankful.
This Thanksgiving, I’ve felt particularly grateful for vaccines. So many things I took for granted got ripped away when the pandemic began in earnest. Things that I’d always done without a second thought suddenly became unsafe and irresponsible. Thanks to the vaccines, my life has slowly been filling back up with those good things—things as simple as visiting a friend or going to a movie. They light up little candles of joy in the soul that lockdown had snuffed out for a while.
Whatever the cause of this calamity, I’m grateful that the science of our age was able to meet it head-on so quickly.
Josh—well said.
Years ago I was listening to an NPR story about an anthropologist in the Amazon who found himself slathered in mud (to protect against biting insects) at a feast of grubs.
He suddenly realized that it was thanksgiving day.
His guide noticed the somber overlay, tapped him in the ribs and whispered “I understand. The grubs in my village are so much better too.”
I had just gone through Versailles and realized my bed was better, my central air and heat were better and my food better than what the Sun King of France experienced.
That story made me think that if heaven had only five hundred years of improved technology on me I was, in comparison, slathered in mud and eating grubs.
I find it good to be grateful. I take real joy in the backpacking trips I take with my wife (we finally finished the Appalachian Trail and are hoping to do the Pacific Crest Trail I’m 2022).
But I think we oversell ourselves on how good life is in the present while under appreciating it at the same time, if that makes any sense.
I think we need more humility and more gratitude at the same time.
Kirkstall—that is well said.
This is a wonderful post. We all have many things to be grateful for. As Josh H pointed out above, we just have to recognize it.
Far too few people these days recognize what they have. Stephen R is absolutely correct about historical wealth. The poorest person in America has luxuries that Ghengis Khan would have marched an army across two continents to obtain.
So let us all be grateful that we need not worry about starving to death or being killed by a wild animal as mankind did for eons. But let us also be on guard that we don’t fall prey to the diseases of excess that are sweeping the land.
It is useful to remind ourselves that, except for brief moments (the end of WWII for instance) the USA is everlastingly in eschatological crisis. That’s because this country was settled by sexually active religious lunatics who have lots of kids who have lots of kids etc.. The faith gene seems quite durable. Nonetheless there are American rovers on Mars. Science races forward & for this I’m grateful. Amen.
I have lived an entire life without either having to flee a war or fight one, which is remarkable in the history of mankind. My heart grieves for all those who have to.
I have never unwillingly missed a meal. My life is the life that my ancestors dreamt of.
I too am extremely grateful for vaccines. I’d like to be grateful to be part of a community that was also grateful for vaccines.
I had the privilege of attending my cousins funeral the day before thanksgiving. He suffered for four years with bone cancer. He’s my age and leaves behind a grieving wife and four young daughters. I’m grateful to be part of a family that will forever rally around those in need, like my cousins family. There is fierce loyalty in the Holbrook clan and I’m so grateful to be one of them.
I’ve lately been thinking about the girls and women in Afghanistan and similar places. How thankful I am to be out of my house, driving, uncovered, educated, free to choose in so many situations. I’m grateful and mystified. Why them, why me?
Each day when I have a shower with my wife I am thankfull for solar heated hot running water.
Kings, pharos, no matter how rich, could not have a hot shower, but I do every day.
Thankfull for my wife, and the joy we share, and our 4 daughters that we love and are proud of.
Thankfull also for mobile technology. When I was young my family did not have a phone in the house, now we each have one in our pocket.
Thankfull I live in Queensland where our government has kept the virus at bay, with 7 deaths so far. We are starting to open up at 80% vacination, and fully opening at 90%. Hope it will be safe.
Thankfull for the life we have lived, having visited most of the world, before it became unsafe.
Thankfull for the skills we have acquired, so that we live in a wonderful house we built, and decorated together. Drive european cars that were bought as salvage, so cost a third their value.
Thankfull that we live in such an enlightened time/place where women and gays are respected, and almost equal.
We do not have thanksgiving in Aus, but we are very blessed, and most appreciate it.
Life is incredibly good!
Health. I’m getting older and realizing that someday I’ll really decline and I’m appreciating good health while I can.
Doing normal things, even things I don’t particularly like, that we didn’t do for 1.5 years during Covid.
Adoption brings with it a whole bunch of issues we didn’t anticipate when we held those adorable infants. There was a long time I honestly wasn’t sure there would be a happy future for our family. And yet, Thursday we were part of a loud, happy, loving family that included all of our children and grandchildren. I am very grateful for that family. I do not take it for granted.
I’m grateful the Church has resources beyond my comprehension. Now if we could only get the leaders to invest more of it in the global poor.
There’s no doubt the USA is a great country and there’s a lot to be thankful for. As a neighbour in Canada I’m grateful for a good healthcare system for all citizens, less devisions on social issues such as marriage equality, the right for women to make choices on abortion, better uptake on vaccination and masking in public, and way less guns.
This may sound shallow, but I am grateful (everyday) for my heater and air conditioner. I can LITERALLY control my environment. WOW! As was pointed out above, historically, even the richest people couldn’t do that.