Editorial: Reasons for giving thanks

Thursday, Nov. 24, 2005 | 8:58 a.m.

A look at the news headlines on any given day could lead us to believe it is becoming harder to be thankful.

Thousands of Americans' tables will have chairs left vacant by loved ones who are serving with the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Thousands of Hurricane Katrina survivors continue to exist in a twilight zone where housing and jobs are available, but the permanence of home remains elusive.

Almost daily, reports from the nation's capital reveal that more U.S. government officials are being investigated or indicted while many others are trying to remain invisible. We're in an energy crisis and a budget crisis. Medical care is either too expensive or too complicated to obtain.

It has all become so complicated and wearying that it's a wonder we even bother to crawl out of bed today, let alone find reasons to be thankful. Yet, millions of us gladly will do both.

And therein lies the mystery of the human spirit and the miracle of giving thanks. Despite all the negativity, we know we have plenty of reasons to be thankful.

We can be thankful for the freedom to question the decisions our public officials make -- a freedom we should resolve to exercise more often in the coming year.

We can be thankful to live in a country wealthy enough to aid not only those suffering in the wake of devastating domestic natural disasters but also those suffering similar fates in other parts of the world.

We can be thankful for the day-to-day victories that happen closer to home through the work of thousands of volunteers who, working alone or with charities and churches, serve people who are homeless, abused, poor or otherwise in need.

The mind-numbing speed with which many of us blow through our lives is cause for concern when it manifests itself in a loss of civility or care. But it also is indicative of how productive and vibrant our community has become.We could be -- and have been -- worse off.

The challenges we face daily as individuals, a community or a nation are seemingly endless. We can be grateful that we possess in our family, friends and community all that we need to work toward a better tomorrow. We can pray for the strength to do that work. And we can be thankful that, for many of us, the biggest challenge lies in learning to share all that we have to offer.