In Thanksgiving for Life

We live in a culture of death, and the decisions and the attitudes of the people and society around us may discourage us in our struggle to live a culture of life. Someone I know once told me that whenever he is frustrated by a problem that he cannot fix, he works on fixing a problem that he can. The wisdom behind these words helped inspire this blog. We may not be able to immediately fix the huge problems in the world. We may not, in our lifetimes, be able to completely reverse the culture of death. But we can take steps to change our own actions and attitudes.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, for instance, we can remember to be thankful for the gift of life. Life may seem difficult at times. The powers of evil may seem to rule, our work may seem to make no difference, and we may begin to feel powerless. I choose today to be grateful for my life anyways. I’m grateful for the people I have come to know and love. I’m grateful for my knowledge of God and of the good and the true. I’m grateful for the victories God has allowed me to see. I am grateful for the comfort and grace God has granted me in times of defeat.

I’m grateful for the smell of fresh air, the cool joy it gives to my lungs. I’m grateful for beautiful landscapes, the bright colors singing to my eyes. I’m grateful for sunny days and for stormy nights. I’m grateful for the peacefulness of the early morning and the solitude of late night. I’m grateful for the stars, when I have the chance to see them, decorating the night sky.

I’m grateful for green grass, for dogs and cats. I’m grateful for sunsets, a masterpiece from God free for all to see. I’m grateful for my family, for old and for young. I’m grateful for music, meaning expressed more truly and beautifully than ever words could hold. I’m grateful for life, for beauty, for truth, and for the chances I have to defend them.

Try to take time to be thankful for life. Even when life feels miserable, look for little joys, little bits of goodness that sneak past the clouds. For if we appreciate life and all that it holds, we will be more inspired and ready to defend it. We will recognize just how precious the gift is that some are all too ready to deny to others or to throw away for themselves.