Being "Thankful"

I wrote this at Thanksgiving and decided that it was pretty self serving so i didn't post it. I still feel this way but recent events, specifically the earthquake in Haiti, impels me to rant a bit. I wish their were answers but i don't think their are.



I suppose to most people being thankful pretty much means the same thing. Thankful for all the good in their lives and the comforts that prosperity has brought. Thankful for their family bonds, the love of their friends and neighbors close and not so close. Thankful for their health if they have good health, if not, for the excellent care we in this country are afforded. Most of us though aren't so thankful for the few extra pounds we carry around due to just eating to much. I could go on and on because when you really start thinking about it, no matter what your situation is , we certainly have a lot to be thankful for in this country.

I went to Church yesterday and the Sermon was about being Thankful. Pastor Tom is a friend of mine and a man who I respect very much. He is gentle, introspective and very tolerant of his fellow man. He loves his Church family, each and every one of us. I think he loves me as well even though I have a large dose of heathen in me. His sermon was as usual, powerful, thoughtful and very loving, but as i was listening i realized that not everyone has things to be thankful for.
I'm not writing this for any other reason than to illustrate how thankful we really should be.

Starvation deaths, and this does not include disease, exposure, wars, accidents or any other form of unnatural death, every day approaches 25,000 souls. EVERY day! Every 2 days enough people die of just starvation to fill the Georgia Dome. Think about it, every 2 days nearly 50,000 people die because they either don't have enough food or the food they are eating is not sufficient to sustain life. Try not eating for a day, its amazing the discomfort that is felt. The pain in your belly, dizziness and lack of energy. I'm not sure many of us (if any of us) have gone a full day with out eating. Most of us whine if we happen to miss even one meal.

I accept the fact that i have done absolutely nothing to help the situation other than to be aware of it and bitch about it from time to time. That in it self is worse than being ignorant of the situation. I'm nearly 60 years old and have been aware of the problem for a very long time. I could of done "my part" but didn't and continue not to. Being honest, why i haven't is because i was and am to lazy and really didn't care very much. I will address this problem with my self later.

This Thanksgiving and from now on, each and every day i am going to become much more thankful for every thing i have. Weather its a Kings ransom or a full belly. Thankful for my friends, my family and my beautiful Beth, but what I am most thankful for is the freedom that our country has afforded me and you.

As Beth, Andrew (Beth's son) and I sit down to eat our Thanksgiving meal I am going to say a prayer for the millions of people who, at that very moment, have a very painful belly and are about to starve to death. If god is there I hope he is listening and even more, sees fit to maybe for that fleeting moment, take their pain away.

I think I am going to go with out food one day a month, maybe that will motivate me to do something other than run my mouth about the situation.

As thoughtful human beings its a shame that arrogance,selfishness and general not giving a crap seem to rule. All of us and me in particular could do a LOT more for our fellow man because deep in my heart i really do care.