Thankful

With today being the day before Thanksgiving, it is a great time to reflect on all the reasons that I am thankful. I am thankful that I have the ability to dream about creating a better future for myself, my family, my community, and my country. I believe in the fundamental “right” we have as Americans…that with hard work I can make those dreams a reality. Unfortunately, in many countries throughout the world, these “rights” that we often take for granted are not “fundamental.”

I was reminded of this recently as I had the good fortune to visit several Central American countries. In each place I found folks that seemed to enjoy life in situations that I had never been exposed to before. These folks were happy living in a situation that many of us would consider deplorable. They didn’t have the luxury of dreaming about a better life – they were struggling to exist in the life they were dealt.

It struck me though, that, while they are happy, and fulfilled…if I was confronted with the prospect of the same life for myself and my family I am not sure how I would respond. Then I realized that for many in our community and country, they find themselves struggling to simply exist in their new circumstances, rather than dreaming about a better place.

This, I think, is both the promise and the curse of living in America. On one hand, we believe we should be able to have it all – after all, we’re a nation of immigrants who came to this country in pursuit of our American Dream. Somewhere along the way, we collectively decided that the American Dream could be bought on credit – and now with this recession we’ve all experienced a rude wakeup call. But the American Dream still exists! Opportunity and the chance to create a better future for ourselves, our families, our communities and our country are available to all of us. However, the opportunity to realize the American Dream is not bought… it is earned through hard work, perseverance, and sacrifice.

Perhaps most importantly thankfulness exists still too – but it is all about perspective. My visit to Central America helped me readjust my perspective. It challenged me to spend more time thinking about what I should be thankful for. I am fortunate to have a great family and a loving wife. I am fortunate to have a great place to live and the security of a nice neighborhood. I am fortunate to have a job with a respected employer that values the folks that work for it. I am fortunate to have the freedom to travel and confidence that we live in a safe community. I am fortunate that I have the freedom to make choices about my life free of religious and political persecution. I am thankful that I live in a country that even with all of its faults it is still a country of beauty, prosperity, and limitless possibilities. In short, I am thankful that I live in a country and a community that allows us to dream of a better future – and realize it.

So, as we all sit down to enjoy our holiday meal please join me in taking a moment to reflect on what we are thankful for. Make sure you take time to share with the people in your life why you are thankful for the joy they bring to your life. This could be one of the biggest gifts that you could share with others during the Holiday season.