the haves and have nots

another Thanksgiving, that day of pause with reflection – has come and gone…

it is never pleasant to encounter that occasional soul who pays no tribute, calculates no debt owed, nor has regard for the possibility of things superior to self –

such callous, irreverent beings suffer with incoherence, trapped in the darkness of their own depravity

when this be the case – though not pleasant, it does remind us that

not all of our fellow beings are noble, gracious and lovely

we do well to note this for future reference – these kind, lest we incrementally creep into a smug, self-righteousness

there are plenty of samples – in the wide range of the people-scape, to learn from

for instance, it is easy to be cheerful, filled with joy and gratitude, overflowing with gracious goodwill… when our circumstances are favorable and we are surrounded with an abundance of blessings

such is the fortunate lot of many of us

the wise appreciate that man’s heart is inclined generously toward praise and gratitude when life is good

Job‘s wife spoke to him tersely – as he agonized…

curse God and die

peculiar counsel from one who ranked (for the moment) as an “have,” inappropriate and foul advice to one who at the time was an “have not”

…back to the “haves” of the good

because this goodness is so common – we are prone to a form of amnesia, spared from the bitter, harsh burdens that the unfortunate suffer

insulated from deprivation, we have only small exposure to and even less sympathy with the sufferings of others

this, if true – can serve as a caution

the platitudes that require an upbeat, positive, cheerful demeanor – flow suggestively from the officious

but mewonders how my own paltry spirit would endure misery?

history informs, introducing those magnanimous, durable souls who both survived and perished testing and trials, tribulation beyond comprehension – and did so with incomprehensible virtue and inner strength

prisoners of war, humanitarian giants, lovers of justice and equity, warriors, defenders of the vulnerable and oppressed, heroes of the moment and day…

the cast of their shadow endures, for they are among the most admirable architects of the bonum publicum

to bend a knee – in thanksgiving, to ascribe priority to that which is both beyond and greater than self

we, the recipients of blessings – acknowledge before God and one another that we are most fortunate and effectively cognizant of those less fortunate…

the have nots

Seven days ago our land celebrated the tradition that our forefathers inaugurated

Six days later – blood thirsty terrorist guerrillas carried out their latest design of evil in California

this morning we wake, unsettled, curious and stunned – wondering how and why our fragile serenity and good fortune can be so easily toppled?

there is but one cure for all of this – one which the loudest and most absurd voices (and their ideas) forthrightly condemn and dismiss

methinks that each one must hunger and thirst for it in order for its power and efficacy to take hold

its spirit and gist is found embedded in the volitional giving of thanks – all that this simple, fundamental act represents and portends

and it is an obligation of both the haves and the have nots

peace.

Tom