We often seem to have many things to be concerned about, and to complain about, Gentle Reader. Life often isn't fair and people can be incredibly stupid and mean. Even getting through the day without doing serious harm to ourselves or others before we get home can seem like a major achievement. Our life circumstances can also easily go sideways and suddenly we have no idea if we will even have somewhere to live next month or a job to go to. With the environment of heightened fear, anxiety and uncertainty that we are living in these days it is very easy to lose all perspective and sink down into the poor-me's without giving one moment's thought of how good we might have it. Add to the mix the Short Fingered Vulgarian, el presidente Dump of the Unhinged States of America, and we may do well to be very, very afraid.
But ungrateful?
Let me offer here a slight sense of proportion.
The Dump is not the prime minister of Canada. He is the President of the USA. Even though what happens there is going to affect what goes on in our own country, it is still another country, we are totally different places and that is not going to change. I think that many of us are being hobbled by fear, trauma, outrage, and emotional exhaustion since the unfortunate events between November 8 and January 20. I am not suggesting that by ignoring him he is going away, and he is likely to remain a very unpleasant and distasteful fact of our lives for four years, unless the planets really get misaligned and he actually wins a second term, but I think there are things we can do, in the meantime, for our own good mental health. We need to distract ourselves from His Nonsense. We need to gain perspective.
What better way than to call to mind all the many things we have to be grateful for?
I had this conversation today with one of my supervisors where I work. I mentioned to him how I looked in the fridge last night and all that beautiful abundance of wonderful nutritious and tasty food crowding the shelves reminded me again of how much I have to be thankful for. There were blood oranges and fresh strawberries, fresh broccoli and tomatoes, three varieties of cheese (Asiago, sharp white cheddar and gouda), milk, orange juice, two varieties of jam (a blend of apricot, peach and mango, and strawberry), miso, potatoes and homemade whole wheat bread. There were eggs and leftover lentil and Asiago soup for a couple more meals. There was also sesame tahini, yogurt and sweetened condensed mild (a wicked dessert combination), and of course garlic. I am vegetarian, by the way, and not eating meat has nothing to do with affordability and everything to do with my own healthy lifestyle choice.
With this lovely largesse how could I possibly think of complaining? Especially given that I have been basically poor all my life, I was on welfare for over three years, and for the last twelve years I have earned a far less than living wage (not to blame my supervisor, who has no control over such details) yet I have always eaten well and have never had to beg or go to the food bank. When things were really desperate there were friends and family members available at times to help me out but for the most part I have always managed well on my limited resources.
Last night, seeing inside my fridge I gave thanks to God for this lovely provision and that despite all else I am always well fed. I am careful, by the way, not to waste food, and I manage to use at least ninety-five percent of what I put in my fridge.
What exactly am I giving thanks for and to whom am I giving thanks. And why?
I am thanking God, of course. Now, Gentle Reader, if you choose not to believe, if you are an atheist, or one of those agnostics who worship a goddess named Agnes, I will cut you plenty of slack here. You don't have to believe in anything that is not real for you. Including God. Only once God becomes real for you should you start believing. In the meantime, may I suggest that, in lieu of believing in God, try simply conceiving of the highest good you good possibly imagine. Now try to go even higher. In your heart, silently give thanks to that highest good for the good food that you have. If you are lacking in food, give thanks for the little you have. I have been there myself at times.
This is not necessarily going to be easy, and if you are already a habitual grumbler then you are going to have to try many times to practice before you even start getting it right. Once we are focussing on even one thing to be grateful for our attitude begins to change if very subtly. A little bit of the dull, grey, grimy film that has been cast over our eyes has been cleared away. Things become a little bit brighter. We can even see a little bit of colour where it was all dull grey before.
Giving thanks is not a panacea for not taking action. I like to think of it as the beginning, as a kind of spiritual kick start to get us mobilized. I am thankful that I have good food, and plenty of it to eat. Now, what can I do to show my gratitude? How can I best use the energy and nourishment as I burn it off throughout the day, in terms of exercise and self-care, but also in how I care for and interact with others? What can I do to share my good fortune to benefit those who are going without? What can I do to use food as a sacramental medium, inviting a friend to dinner, or feeding someone on the street? The possibilities are endless.
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