Celebration of the 4th of July: Showing Gratitude
My friend, Scott http://sippiambrose.blogspot.com/ talks about celebration of the 4th of July as an exercise of showing gratitude, or thankfulness. Now that I am thinking about it, I think it is something which we can all identify with, and be thankful for, whether we agree with the direction the country is going, the freedoms that we have, or may loose, or the political climate of our nation.
Today, there is much for which I am grateful. I am grateful for my relatively good health, and for the good health of my daughter today, thank God. I am grateful for my loving husband, and the safe return of my son yesterday from the Middle East. My son tells me of how he was unable to access the ATM, and how a kind elderly Israeli woman gave him money to take a cab so he had no cash on him and could make it to the airport. This is what we Jews call tzadaka (a selfless act of goodwill). Someone else in Israel, friend of a friend, gave my son two beautiful hamsa (hand of God) pendants, one is gold and another in silver, to give to me, knowing that this was something I wanted from Israel, as a kind act. I am grateful that there are so many kind, self-less and good hearted people out there in America and and around the world today, who give of themselves freely, without wanting anything in return. This is something I feel truly blessed and grateful for each and every day, as doing good deeds sets good examples for myself and for others, and is one of the highest forms of praise we can give to God and to others. I am grateful for being able to say kind words to others as well for today.
Gratitude and thankfulness are good topics for the 4th of July. So the question of today is to tell me something that makes you feel grateful and thankful, as a human being and/or as an American.
Have a glorious 4th of July.
Thank you for your minds.
Today, there is much for which I am grateful. I am grateful for my relatively good health, and for the good health of my daughter today, thank God. I am grateful for my loving husband, and the safe return of my son yesterday from the Middle East. My son tells me of how he was unable to access the ATM, and how a kind elderly Israeli woman gave him money to take a cab so he had no cash on him and could make it to the airport. This is what we Jews call tzadaka (a selfless act of goodwill). Someone else in Israel, friend of a friend, gave my son two beautiful hamsa (hand of God) pendants, one is gold and another in silver, to give to me, knowing that this was something I wanted from Israel, as a kind act. I am grateful that there are so many kind, self-less and good hearted people out there in America and and around the world today, who give of themselves freely, without wanting anything in return. This is something I feel truly blessed and grateful for each and every day, as doing good deeds sets good examples for myself and for others, and is one of the highest forms of praise we can give to God and to others. I am grateful for being able to say kind words to others as well for today.
Gratitude and thankfulness are good topics for the 4th of July. So the question of today is to tell me something that makes you feel grateful and thankful, as a human being and/or as an American.
Have a glorious 4th of July.
Thank you for your minds.
8 Comments:
I like the 4th of July. It's not about shouting "USA! USA! USA!" It's not about celebrating our country's dominance over other countries, and it's certainly not about smugly wallowing in our "superiority" (though some people celebrate it that way). The holiday is called Independence Day for a reason: it commemorates our switch from governance by England to self-governance. At its core, it's simply about cutting ties and having the freedom to live our lives the way we wish. This is why I find it supremely ironic that the current administration is so hell-bent on keeping certain American citizens (i.e., people who aren't white, middle-class, male, heterosexual, or Christian) from living their lives independently, with minimal governmental interference. Such imposed control is packaged as "American values" but in truth it's the very definition of un-American.
So, on Independence Day, I'll leave behind the political and be thankful for my personal independence. I'm especially grateful that I've been financially independent since early adulthood. As we all know, whoever pays the piper calls the tune. I've been calling my own tune for many years, and each year it feels better and better. :-)
I'm thankful that I AM an American . I can and do complain about our leadership. America is the best place for complaining. I love America. Protesting is my way of showing America that I love it, and want it to be the best it can possibly be.
I am thankful for a husband that worships me, a blue sky, warm sun, the ability to read/write/blog and buy organic food, for friends who care for me, pets who dote on me, and the ability to breathe.
I am SO thankful for blogs, where you can 'meet' other intelligent minds out for a stroll.
I'm grateful that you are innocent until proven guilty in the USA. That is definitely different than most of the world.
Hi Barbara - I notice you comment on many of the blogs I also visit. You've got a great blog; I hope you don't mind if I stop by and make comments here and there.
Hope you hade a great holiday!
I had such a wonderful day with my family yesterday (Dad, Mom, Hubby, Kids, & Brother).
I am so thankful for each moment I have with my family whom I love so much.
I'm thankful for America and that I have the honor of living here and being a citizen.
I love America - God bless her
In the vast majority of the world I would be in jail or worse.
the vast majority of my wife's family was butchered in euroland and my step father family ran for its life out of the Ottoman empires murder of Armeanians.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home