Thanksgiving in a Time of Conflict

 

I have been thinking long and hard about a positive Thanksgiving message. I am thankful for a great deal.

But I can not escape a feeling of sadness about the state of the world, past, present and future.

I am thankful that I don't live without food or water or housing or medical care. That I don't live under the threat of war and violence. That, with a few exceptions, I am not diminished as a person simply because of the color of my skin, my accent, my clothing, my circumstances, or my place within the power hierarchy.

I recently heard Simon and Garfunkel's "Sounds of Silence" after a long time. I'm struck by this passage in particular:

"Fools" said I, "You do not know

Silence like a cancer grows

Hear my words that I might teach you

Take my arms that I might reach you"

But my words like silent raindrops fell

And echoed in the wells of silence

Art Garfunkel apparently said during a live performance that the song is about "the inability of people to communicate with each other, and not particularly internationally but especially emotionally, so that what you see around you is people who are unable to love each other."

That was in 1966. It's even more true today.

I hope that everyone might take a moment to recognize that it should be possible to care for more than one group of people who are suffering, especially those whose voices and expressions of pain are met with silence. That we should be able to love each other.

Most of all, I'm thankful for people, dogs, and cats who make me feel seen, heard, and loved.