A swift kick in the...

So. Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving. And, I keep recieving email messages and keep seeing Facebook posts about how we should be thankful and what other people are grateful for.


See, I’m all for giving thanks. I agree that it’s important to appreciate what you have in your life. Much of what we are learning in yoga teacher training teaches us to live in the moment and pay attention to all the good that we have.


It’s just that some other people seem have so much. It sometimes feels like others have it really good. It can be almost painful for some of us to read about what others are thankful for…because it’s something we could never, ever have.


I think about those of us who can’t spend Thanksgiving with our family when we’d really like to. I think about those who have a hard time finding the money to pay for good food or heat on a regular basis, without the slightest thought of having a lavish Thanksgiving meal in a comfortable home. I think about those who have to bite their tongue on Thanksgiving Day and pay homage to a family that hasn’t treated them all that well.


A few days ago, I received an email titled “10 Great Privileges We Forget to Be Thankful For” from the Web site http:www.marcandangel.com. It said this:


“Even in times of uncertainty – even when life seems far from perfect – it’s always important to keep things in perspective.

1.      You are alive.

2.      You didn’t go to sleep hungry last night.

3.      You didn’t go to sleep outside.

4.      You had a choice of what clothes to wear this morning.

5.      You haven’t spent a minute in fear for your life.

6.      You know someone who loves you.

7.      You have access to clean drinking water.

8.      You have access to medical care.

9.      You have access to the Internet.

10.  You can read.”

This blew my MIND. I couldn’t think of one person who doesn’t have all of these things. And they are truly things to be grateful for. Many of them we overlook every day. Yet it is such a privilege to have all of them. Reading this was like a swift kick in the butt. It made me feel really lucky.

We may not have it all, but we sure have a lot more than most. It’s my hope for you, this Thanksgiving, that the good in what you do have makes you feel like you’re an honored, special person. Because…you really are.

Thank you for reading!

Sarah