Musings On the Giving of Thanks

[batyatoon]

To whom are we giving thanks, on this day of Thanks-giving? Which is more important, "to whom" or "for what"? Is that even a meaningful question?

I'm thinking about that corny old song "Wind Beneath My Wings" (which I liked once and can't listen to anymore because enough already), and its penultimate line: "Thank you, thank you, thank God for you."

There are so many people I want to thank; some for doing specific things, some for just being there. For just being themselves. For just being. And it is mostly in the case of the latter that I also want to thank God, for making these people -- and for placing them in exactly the right part of all the vastness of the human race and its collective lifespan. The same part that I'm in.

(Though if I were feeling testy, I could complain about not having Dorothy Parker in the same part as me. Or Galileo Galilei. But today is not for testiness; today is for gratitude.)

(Alex wants to know when Testiness Day is. We'll have to work on that one.)

There are people I've never met to whom I am grateful for making my life easier, more pleasant, safer, richer, or otherwise better -- including as a random sampling:
* the inventors and maintainers of the internet and many of its landmark sites, LiveJournal and Google in particular;
* the Red Cross;
* the Hatzolah volunteer ambulance corps;
* the manufacturers of my favorite mass-produced food items, and the shippers of my favorite produce that doesn't grow anywhere near here;
* the founders of the United States of America and the writers of its Constitution;
* the ACLU;
* the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority and its employees (because much as we complain, the buses and trains really do run on time here, a lot more often than not);
* many playwrights and screenwriters, countless novelists, and singers without number.


I feel like I still have a lot more to say, but it's nearly noon and we are going into the City to meet with some out-of-town family in about half an hour. More later, perhaps.

Thanks for reading.

Comments

[snowy-owlet.livejournal.com]

That's an excellent list.

I'm always thankful for you, even at those times in which I'm miffed that you tossed off a sonnet in 0.3 seconds and I should be able to do the same thing.

(or especially at those times?)

[dotsomething.livejournal.com]

I am very grateful we ended up in the same part of the vastness of the lifespan of the human race. Because if we hadn't, that would've really, really sucked. Happy thankful day!

[cleverthylacine]

I hear ya, sai, I tell G-d thankya too.

[piemancer]

*nods and tips her hat*

[antiquated-tory.livejournal.com]

Fine thoughts and well put.

I have a wonderful wife, live in an awesome city, have my health, job and money in the bank. There was a pretty small chance anywhere along the line that I would end up like this. I sure as heck am thankful for all this, even if I'm not quite sure who or what I'm thankful to.

gratitude list

[kressel.livejournal.com]

Hi Batya. I saw your name on batshua's journal, so I surfed in here to check out your journal. Is it all right with you if I add this entry to my memories? Rabbi Zelig Pliskin recommends making gratitude lists like this one, so I did it a few times on my journal, as did some other people. I've created a memory category of them here (http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=kressel&keyword=The+Gratitude+Meme&filter=all), and I'd like to add yours, too.