Thanksgiving is a great day to hang out with family and friends, eat a ton of food, and drink some great wine; but it also makes me think of the soldiers and their families who don’t get to spend time together, kids that are suffering from illness or hunger, people that are scared because they’ve lost their jobs and are losing everything, the homeless, the kids that are bullied at school, and so on.
Thanksgiving is a good start, I think more people think about these issues this time of year and realize how fortunate they are as opposed to “those other” people. Why can’t we get involved all year round? Why can’t we help each other more? Why can’t we solve some of these issues?
We need to come together more, we need to extend our hand more often, we need to be a moving human part of our communities, we need to get involved. This journey is miraculously amazing, and the awe inspiring power of human beings when they come together is breath taking. Be thankful, yes, but continue to build your communities and help one another. No man is an island, we need each other.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, everywhere.
Well said.
Im in Stockton visiting relatives. They got my family to join them in a yearly event to do a short race to raise money for the local foodbank. It was cold but worth it.
Your thoughts make me wonder why more people are not involved in something to affect the world around them. Improving things. The USA does donate and volunteer more than most countries, which is good.
I decided a few years back to be more involved than I have been. So I will share some of my thoughts on the subject. Instead of dropping some coins or a dollar in someones cup and just keep on walking, I thought it would be better to ask the homeless person what do they need? A ride somewhere? Call someone that they need to make contact with? Help buy something that will make their circumstance more pleasant? If the money you give them goes to a vice is that really helping?
How can we inspire more people to pay it forward, get good karma, look at the world as a place to cherish as oppose to not consume and toss aside? It is all on us. No devine intervention is going to happen.
Keith, first I appreciate the comment…conversation IS where it starts. Second, I agree with you, change happens from diving deeper than the superficial ‘put a dollar in a cup’ that we all do. I do not know what the absolute correct answer is, but I do know that the only way to truly have change is to build community, to help people, to smile more often, to support rather than tear down, to get a little uncomfortable and GIVE back…this life is a journey and our attitudes dictate how it will go. I appreciate the comments Keith and look forward to more conversation.