Here are a few thoughts on what it is we should be thankful for.
First, though, a brief mea culpa: I have not been good about updates to this newsletter recently. There are three primary reasons why:
– I’m working on a large project, which is labor- and time-intensive
– The constant high tide of negative news flowing in each day is debilitating
– The demands of daily living are frequently daunting
Let’s look at that last excuse, since it can lead us into a contemplation of gratitude.
Yes, daily life—people, projects, forward progress—is quite demanding. So much so that one sometimes becomes tempted to slack off where one can. And yet consider the alternative to daily life, or to life per se: a bit alarming, isn’t it?
Human life is miraculous (human beings are not, but that’s another story). We cannot completely understand what happens in our individual life cycles, nor can we completely understand everything that surrounds and interacts with us while we’re here.
Nevertheless, our lives can sometimes have moments of great beauty. Or at least they should; I would wish such moments for everyone.
Birth? Death? Regeneration? God? Our myriad religions? Dark matter? The universe?
It’s OK to step back from the search for meaning once in a while, and simply be. And be grateful. For good people, for good fortune, for life itself.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.