With Thanksgiving coming up soon, I feel it would be great to get into the meat and potatoes as to why the holiday is important.
There is so much suffering in the world, it could drive anyone who thinks about it mad. Innocent people get horrible diseases, countless people are needlessly killed in gruesome wars, bigoted people teach their children to hate people they do not even know. The list goes on for how many terrible things happen and it can be extremely hard to find hope.
It should be stated that with all the bad things happening in the world, there are also countless good things happening as well.
Having gratitude for all the great things in life is a fantastic and healthy way to cope with all the horrendous stuff that happens. This Thanksgiving we should remember to remain thankful that many people recognize there are problems in the world that need to be fixed. We must stay grateful for all the people who shorten the unnecessary suffering the world can bring.
Additionally, there are incredible benefits to remaining grateful for the good things happening. Staying positive and optimistic can help ease tension in their lives.
According to the Mayo Clinic Health System, “Expressing gratitude is associated with a host of mental and physical benefits. Studies have shown that feeling thankful can improve sleep, mood and immunity. Gratitude can decrease depression, anxiety, difficulties with chronic pain and risk of disease.”
Benefits like these show it is essential to remain thankful, even after Thanksgiving.
There are amazing things in the world that often go ignored. Maybe you saw an adorable puppy or kitten, maybe you had a nice cup of tea or coffee, maybe the person you love most in the world gave you a hug. This list could go on as long as the list of terrible things happening. You should not only focus on the bad because you will miss out on all the spectacular things.
What is also good to be thankful for is having luxuries many people sadly go without. You probably have a roof over your head, a bed to sleep on at night and friends and family that love you. There are a lot of people who do not have these nice things, so you should be grateful to have them.
Your life might not be perfect, it might not even be great compared to other people’s lives. Ignoring all the good things that do happen in your life is certainly a great way to make your life worse.
Being grateful should not be about just accepting the status quo, but knowing that there is as much good in the world as there is bad.
Nico Brazill can be contacted at
nbrazill@kscequinox.com
