Thankful For (A 2021 Thanksgiving Message)

Thankful for the people

Those I vigorously disagree with

Those I enthusiastically concur with

Those who look, think, and act like me

Those who do not look, think, and act like me

Those who are wired like me

Those who are not wired like me

Thankful for each one and all of them

Thankful for the people.

Thankful for the opportunities

The opportunities to engage

To hear and read what others have to say

To reflect on what I see, hear, and read

To develop my own thoughts, values, and insights based on that

Thankful for the opportunities.

Thankful for the friendships

Which I do not deserve

And yet am blessed to have

Thankful for all that my friendships have brought me

The food for thought, and the company

The help, the support, the comfort, the feeling of belonging, the mind expansion

Without these friendships, and what they have brought me

My life would be so impoverished

So impoverished

Thankful for the friendships.

Thankful for the experiences

The work experiences

The life experiences

The family experiences

The community experiences

The experiences in India

The experiences in the U.S.

The experiences filled with annoyances, embarrassments, guilt

The experiences filled with inexpressible joy

The experiences filled with unimaginable sorrow

All have had a special meaning for me

All have played an important role in my life, and have brought me to where I am today

Thankful for the experiences.

Thankful for the pauses

The Sundays

The weekends

The holidays

The unemployed days

The sick days

The stuck at home days

The nothing to do days

The days without which thoughts such as this would never surface and bloom

Thankful for the pauses.

Thankful for this life

And everything that has been a part of it

The awe and wonder of nature

The positive fruits of human ingenuity

For all that I know, and for all that I have experienced

From the minute I came out of my mother's womb bawling

And everything since

The good and the bad

The happy and the sad

The smiles and the frowns

The ups and the downs

Thankful for all of it.

Thankful for this life.

Thankful for this life. 

Some Things Are Within Your Control

Some things are within your control

Some things are not

You can decide what time to go to bed and to wake up

But you can't decide whether tomorrow will be a cold day, or hot.

Focus on the things within your control

Such as the food you eat and what you drink

Don't spin your wheels about whether this is going to happen, or that is going to happen

Because you can't predict everything, no matter how much you think.

Neither be jubilant about gain, nor depressed by loss or lack

If you did not cause them to be

Adjust your expectations, your approach, and your attitude

This is all the wisdom you need.

So many things will happen from day to day

And so many things will happen from year to year

Meditate, pray, and stay curious, dear reader

Find positive and healthy ways to deal with your vexations, your worries, and your fears.

In your haste to tackle a problem, or find answers to situations

Don't be tempted to rush into something because someone suggested it, or it is the first thing that comes to mind

The best answers and ideas often come with patience

So have faith in your values and principles, and give it time.

Trust, faith, and patience will serve you well

Because you know deep in your spirit everything will be alright

Don't do anything counter to that

And sooner or later, even in the darkest clouds, you will see the light.

Stay active, thoughtful, hopeful, and engaged, dear reader

In times of challenge or change, the best tools are creativity, resilience, and hope

Never become bitter or hopeless

Put on your thinking cap, put on your walking shoes, and find smart ways to cope.

Yes, some things are within your control, dear reader,

And some things are not

But if you continue to show faith, creativity, resilience, and hope

You will find resources to tackle every tide and whirlpool in which you are caught.