Thanksgiving – Gratitude in Practice

Giving thanks is a warm, comforting feeling that expresses appreciation for what we have. But, when truly understood, gratitude is more profound than a fleeting sense of contentment and the smell of roast turkey at Thanksgiving. It asks us to reflect on who we are, our values and how we shape each other’s lives.

While it’s easy to list the material things or comforts we enjoy—a safe home, good health, financial stability—another layer of gratitude speaks to the best of who we are as a society. We can be thankful for our compassion, empathy for others, and collective capacity to support friends, family, and even strangers in times of need. We can value our resilience, the strength that has carried us through tough times. And we can appreciate our shared commitment to fairness and justice and the courage to stand up for what’s right, even when it’s difficult.

These qualities aren’t guaranteed, though. They flourish because we live in a society that, for now, provides the stability, safety, and freedom to express these virtues. Maintaining that environment requires constant effort and care – a responsibility we all share.

If we’re honest, we often take our rights, peace, and freedoms for granted—assuming they will always be there. When we say we’re thankful for the clean air, the security in our communities, or our right to speak openly, we should also ask, “What am I doing to protect this?” Because the truth is, many of the things we cherish are fragile. They exist because previous generations fought to establish them, made sacrifices to defend them, and passed them on for us to nurture in turn.

If we want to live in a society that values compassion, fairness, and integrity, we must recognize that these values don’t sustain themselves. They depend on our willingness to stand up for them, stay vigilant, and speak out when threatened. Genuine gratitude doesn’t just savour these blessings; it compels us to defend them.

Consider the environment: Being thankful for clean air and natural beauty means nothing if we allow pollution and climate change to destroy them. The same goes for our sense of community—if we value diversity and inclusion, we need to stand up against discrimination and support policies that promote equality.

Similarly, if we appreciate a public healthcare system that ensures access for everyone, then we need to push back against policies that would destroy it. If we value our freedom of expression, we must resist efforts to suppress voices, even when those voices don’t align with our own. If we value democracy, we have to defend it from the spread of disinformation because a political system built on lies and manipulation isn’t a democracy at all. Gratitude, when fully realized, transforms into action and advocacy.

Most of us have inherited privileges we didn’t directly earn—a stable democracy, a social safety net, or environmental protections that make our country a beautiful place to live. True gratitude means holding these gifts in trust, with a duty to protect and pass them on to those who come after us.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, let’s use our gratitude as a catalyst for action. If we genuinely cherish who we are—people defined by compassion, fairness, resilience, and respect—then we must commit to preserving these qualities. Let’s make sure our gratitude is reflected not just in words but in deeds.

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody.