To My Magnificent Fellow Life Travelers:
“The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving.” – H. U. Westermayer
I came across this powerful Thanksgiving quote this week. It is attributed to a person I never heard of, however, that did not diminish the power that his words had in provoking my thoughts about the correlation between sacrifice, giving thanks, and gratitude. Can we truly be grateful for our many blessings without ever actually experiencing loss, trials, tribulations, or sacrifice? I believe it is important that we all ponder this, especially as we head into our traditional season of Thanksgiving.
There are several people close to my heart who are currently enduring grave illnesses, either personally or through a loved one. Certainly, none of them are grateful for what they are going through yet each have noted that despite the experience of pain, horror, and grief that the affliction has wrought, there are always blessings. These include a stronger manifestation of the love and appreciation they have for their soulmates who have cared for them, a profound appreciation for the power and strength derived from friends and relatives who gathered in person and in prayer on their behalf, and, finally, a stronger sense of the destiny that awaits us all beyond our mortal tenure. All of these are true blessings!
It being Veterans Day, every American today should feel a profound sense of gratitude for the young men and women who serve us in uniform. That feeling often compels us to approach soldiers we have never met and express our thanks for their service and their sacrifice.
When we volunteer our time or donate money in support of organizations that care for those less fortunate, we are essentially giving in gratitude for what we have been given. Biblically put we get by giving.
Our Christian faith is rooted in the conscious and intentional sacrifice of Our Lord as the ultimate expression of His love for us. For that, we give perpetual thanks!
By definition, a sacrifice requires effort, commitment, and investment on our part. A sacrifice does not happen by accident. It entails our ultimate acceptance of responsibility.
Our founding fathers endeavored to create a nation wherein its citizens could enjoy the freedoms of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That certainly should evoke thanks and gratitude from every American. However, those enlightened individuals who envisioned such a unique country and government, were aware of the sacrifice that might be required to attain it. In fact, while much attention is given to the freedoms espoused in our Declaration of Independence, very little attention is paid to the last line of that cherished document – the line under which all affixed their signature. It reads:
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
These were not hollow words. Each of the signers of the Declaration of Independence knew that if their cause was lost to the English monarchy, they would most certainly be hanged, their possessions would be confiscated, and their names would be forever associated with treason.
Our willingness to sacrifice reaps reward and favor thus giving reason for us to give thanks. Those who have championed this attitude have been lauded throughout history for their courage and conviction, but their actions and memories seem muted and absent today from the dialogue of many in today’s entitled society We seem to be devolving into disparate groups that value collective receiving over individual giving and responsibility and sacrifice are to be avoided at all costs. However, those that reject this path know that although the thankful heart is not necessarily an unburdened one, it is one where it’s burden cannot outweigh the acknowledgement of and gratitude for the blessings that surround and abound us regardless of the current circumstance.
None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves and spend without fear of bankruptcy. – Fred de Witt Van Amburgh
Have an AWE-full Weekend!
William “Bill” Bacque