If we were truly as thankful as we should be, the homeless would be sheltered, the sick comforted, our enemies embraced and the hungry fed. If we were thankful, we'd realize the gift of life - how fleeting it is and how we have all been helped by countless others along the way. We would agree with American writer Rebecca Davis who wrote, "We are all of us from birth to death guests at a table which we did not spread. The sun, the earth, love, friends, our very breath are parts of this banquet."
Perhaps we are not as thankful as we should be because we believe the temporary is permanent and we mistake our wants for needs. We cling to ideas and beliefs and are distressed when they change. Instead, we should be grateful for breath and the myriad beauties of simply being alive. In that gratefulness, we would share our joy, wealth and abilities with all who suffer and work toward alleviating the causes of suffering.
Simply being thankful for all things is the most honest emotion and perfect prayer. As Meister Eckhart, the 13th Century theologian said, "If the only prayer you say in your whole life is 'thank you,' that would suffice."
Thank you.
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