Thanksgiving, The Chicago Bears and The Need To Find Something To Be Thankful For
Posted: Wednesday, November 25, 2009
by Edward Rhymes
Recently, my wife, my son and I were watching
a Chicago Bears football game (now my wife being from Minnesota is a Vikings
fan and spending the past three years here in Pittsburgh has made my son a
Steelers fan, and yet they pull for my team when there are no conflicts of
interest). In this particular game, the Bears lost (as they have done with great
frequency of late) and my son was upset --- he's such a passionate boy. His
disappointment provided, for me, what I considered a teachable moment.
I stood him up and told him that: tonight
there are people who are sleeping on park benches; tonight, someone, somewhere,
is holding a terminally-ill child; tonight, somewhere, someone is going to bed
hungry; tonight someone in some war-torn country, has lost a loved one. It's ok
to be passionate about this game (that both he and I love), but at the end of
the day, it is still just a game. There are more important things in life.
I believe he listened to what I had to say,
but time will tell. Yet even if he did listen that night, sometimes we all need
to be reminded of all that we have to be thankful for. Sometimes our lives have not gone as we would
have liked or even planned. There may be burdens that we are carrying that are
known or unknown to others and we might feel there isn't much to be thankful
for.
I will not pretend in this article that I know exactly what everyone is going through; I will not attempt to minimize anyone's pain or suffering, but I do believe that finding something to be thankful for is important for our emotional and spiritual well-being.
I learned a long time ago as a child in the projects on the Southside of Chicago; amongst the sounds of gunshots, the scurrying feet of rodents & roaches and alcohol and drug-induced screams; amidst the sights of death and bloodshed, that the secret to joy and contentment is a grateful and thankful heart. I use to wonder, when I was much younger, what purpose my hurt and affliction served. It is when I begin to work with those who suffered similar hurts and afflictions that I began to really understand.
It was then when I could really thank God, not for the abuse and deprivation, but that in those circumstances He created someone who was able to help others navigate through their heartaches and sorrows --- only those who have truly suffered can comfort those who are suffering.
I do not know how long I have on this terrestrial ball in this space of time called my life, but I believe that precious hours and days are wasted when we fail to remember something we can be thankful for.
In closing, I would like to share with you two songs that have blessed me over the years. I hope that it can give a little hope and joy throughout, not only your Thanksgiving, but every day.
Have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving.
I will not pretend in this article that I know exactly what everyone is going through; I will not attempt to minimize anyone's pain or suffering, but I do believe that finding something to be thankful for is important for our emotional and spiritual well-being.
I learned a long time ago as a child in the projects on the Southside of Chicago; amongst the sounds of gunshots, the scurrying feet of rodents & roaches and alcohol and drug-induced screams; amidst the sights of death and bloodshed, that the secret to joy and contentment is a grateful and thankful heart. I use to wonder, when I was much younger, what purpose my hurt and affliction served. It is when I begin to work with those who suffered similar hurts and afflictions that I began to really understand.
It was then when I could really thank God, not for the abuse and deprivation, but that in those circumstances He created someone who was able to help others navigate through their heartaches and sorrows --- only those who have truly suffered can comfort those who are suffering.
I do not know how long I have on this terrestrial ball in this space of time called my life, but I believe that precious hours and days are wasted when we fail to remember something we can be thankful for.
In closing, I would like to share with you two songs that have blessed me over the years. I hope that it can give a little hope and joy throughout, not only your Thanksgiving, but every day.
Have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving.
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Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)Thanks, Edward, for sharing your thoughts. There is ALWAYS something to be thankful for! Happy Thanksgiving.Thanks Lorrie and I agree, we ALWAYS have something to be thankful for. May you have a blessed and happy Thanksgiving as well.
I, too, often wondered "what purpose my hurt and affliction served." I know I can help others by my writing, by telling my story.Wonderful article, my brother.Much love to you and yours.Thanks Ken.I KNOW that your writing can help others because I am one of those others.Thanks for the love bro and my family and send ours to you and yours in return.
I wish more parents would try to teach their children what you taught your son the day of the football game. Things are so much simpler once you realize what's truly important in life. The song by The Hawkins is beautiful by the way! Thanks for sharing it with us. Happy Thanksgiving Edward, to you and your family.Thanks for taking the time to read and comment Brianna.I have loved the game of football since I was a young boy (I played it in college and coached high school football) and he came by his passion honestly.Nevertheless, I think he gets it when it comes to perspective and priority ---if not, his mother and I will be right there to remind him :-)!I am so happy you enjoyed the song and am blessed by your Thanksgiving wishes and we give to you our best wishes for health, peace and joy to you and yours this holiday season.
How old is your son? He is blessed to have you for a daddy! Happy Thanksgiving! MarijoThanks Marijo.My son is 8 years-old (the latest and LAST in the line --- his older siblings are 25, 21 and 20) and I am blessed to have him as a son.Thanks again for stopping by Marijo. Happy Thanksgiving to you and Mick!God bless you sister.
"I do not know how long I have on this terrestrial ball in this space of time called my life,"*** That was an incredibly poetic sentence Ed. I have recently picked up a guitar again after 4 years away from it, and I started writing a new song where I have only the chords down at this point. If I can find a way to place that sentence in the song I would love to have your permission to do so - with quotation marks around it of course.Thanks Kenny. And by all means... have at it friend ( I would be honored)!Good luck with your rediscovered love. Take care.
Very nicely done. Being thankful is different than being grateful, of course. You are absolutely correct in being thankful for helping. And I am grateful for this article, and many others, which remind me daily there are those on earth who take the time to help others.Thanks for sharing.Thanks Michael. Thanks for pointing out that being grateful is different from being thankful --- but I have never seen anyone who was one without being the other.I appreciate you friend and I am thankful for you. Hope you had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.
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