How to Count Our Blessings in a World of Division and Hate (Thanksgiving 2022, Part 1)

This year has been a tough year, nationally and as a world. War. Economic challenges. Queen Elizabeth II dying. Division among people. Hurricanes. And this doesn't include any personal or professional challenges we might have had.

Through all the challenges of this year, it seems that people care less about one another and more about how people can use one another for one's own personal gain and prestige.

It seems like unless we fit into the definition people have in which they want to associate, then all others are frowned upon and then are called bad.

It seems as though 2022 was all about people hating one another and like this was the whole purpose of living for many.

Why aren't we caring for one another?

Differences do not make anyone bad or evil. What ever happened to appreciating differences?

Why do we try to put people into a box and try to make people what we want them to be? 

Why do we have to take on a cause and attack everyone who disagrees with the cause?

Why do we say we want unity and then hate those who are different? And then why do we have the audacity to say those who are different are the cause of the world's problems or even our own?

This seems all people want in 2022. Is to cause division and an us versus them mentality.

When did we stop caring for others?

What ever happened to caring for others more than for oneself?

When did we stop caring for others and turn to hatred and division?

The year 2022 has been a year of division and hatred. We made it through the COVID years of 2020 and 2021 and rather than love one another, we came out like wild animals seeking to devour everyone we can.

It's been a year of finger-pointing. Of blaming everyone else for our problems and for the challenges of this world.

What ever happened to looking at self first and foremost and making sure we are healthy in every way? And doing so on a daily basis?

What ever happened to not judging one another and caring for each other instead, in spite of our differences? (And maybe because of our differences?)

Given all this, how can we be thankful in 2022?

How can we be thankful on November 24, 2022, the official holiday (holy day) of celebrating Thanksgiving in the US? (This answer will be in the next blog post.)

How can we be a light in a very dark and vile world?

How can we find beauty again in ourselves, in one another, and in this world?

How can we use thanksgiving to turn things around and make ourselves better? Because if we are better, then the world can be better?

How can we be grateful for what we have and for who we are?


Journal Questions and Prompts:

Answer any, and/or all, of the questions asked in the previous section.

Then answer each of these questions:

What did you think of this blog post? What came to mind? Do you agree or disagree? Why?

How can you be thankful in a world that enjoys, and even celebrates, division and hate?

How can you be different in this world?

What blessings can you count in spite of the things and problems of this world?

What can you be thankful for in your life that transcends the things of this world?

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