Listening to politicians lately, Americans might get the impression things are pretty bad this year as they sit down to the annual Thanksgiving feast. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Americans, as always, have a great deal for which to be thankful. By all counts, this is one of the world's most affluent nations. While the vast majority may struggle to pay the bills each month, the overwhelming reality is that they have much more than most of the rest of the world could dream of possessing.And things are getting better. Despite the wrangling and hand-wringing of politicians, unemployment is down and income is up.
All this is not to say things couldn't be even better, politically or otherwise. But it is to say that families assembled around their dinner tables this afternoon should pause and give thanks for living in a land of plenty.
And it also is to say that people who have been so blessed should feel a sense of responsibility to help those who are less fortunate. Thanksgiving traditionally marks the start of the Christmas season. It would be a good time for families to decide on ways to help others during a time when loneliness and poverty are magnified.
Many people already have caught this spirit, such as the 75 Cottonwood Hospital employees who, since 1993, have voluntarily spent their lunch hours delivering meals to homebound low-income citizens, or the volunteers from Pintech who not only deliver meals but also bring birthday cards or sing carols to the people along their route.
Across the country, farmers are reviving the ancient concept of gleaning, allowing the less fortunate to freely roam their lands after the harvest and pick up whatever leftover crops they can find.
Not every act of charity has to be so dramatic, but virtually everyone could think of a way to help someone else.
A number of charities stand ready to help throughout Utah. Shelters are in need of donations. Often, people who want to help can find opportunities in their own neighborhoods to cheer someone who has lost a loved one or to provide presents for children who otherwise would receive none.
Gratitude is becoming a lost virtue in modern society. Thanksgiving provides an ideal opportunity to count blessings, and the best way to give thanks for those blessings is to share.