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- By Dennis R. Tesdell
This list seems very basic. Yet not everyone in this country or in the world has, or will be able to be grateful for, all of these things. In their life some of these things do not exist nöw, nor have they ever existed. Thanksgiving Holiday is more than turkey, Grandma's pumpkin pie, half-price säles and sports events. This list is one which, hopefully, everyone reading it can say applies to them. However simple it may seem, it is humbling and sad to realize that many in our country and even more in other countries, only have 1-2 things on this list each day, while most if not all of us have all ten! Perhaps if we are thankful for these basic things daily, it will help ourselves and others gain more abundance, or at least we will appreciate our own more.
1. Waking Up Alive.
George Burns once said a great day for him was waking up and not seeing candles, a church, and his friends all dressed in black. He was blessed financially and health wise. Many, in this country and in other countries, are lucky to make it to age 10, let alone 100.
2. Decent Air to Breathe.
While everyone has this, in some places in the world, the air is so polluted and foul smelling, the people die of respiratory ailments just from breathing.
3. A New Day to Learn and to Earn a Livelihood.
Most of us live in areas with very low un-employment rates. If we choose and need to work and have a job, we can earn monëy daily or weekly *somehow*. Others are in school or educational environments. They can learn or increase what they already know. Many people have no jobs and will nevër have a chance to learn a basic education.
4. A Home In Which to Eat, Sleep, Live, and Relax.
We are blessed if we are not one of the millïons of people whose home consists of a car, an abandoned house or building, cardboard or tin constructed "shelters," or the bare earth or grass. Think about pictures you may have seen of the homeless when you complain about your home or apartment being too cold or warm, or the utility bill being too high.
5. Ample Clean Food to Eat and the Option to Buy as Much as We Need.
Most of us nevër have experienced waiting in line 2-6 hours to buy a loaf of bread, some flour, eggs, etc. We don't know what it is like to wait for a truck to pull up and hand out boxes or containers of rice or Red Cross rations. We've nevër dug in dumpsters behind a grocery store or restaurant to get the food that was thrown out to have for our daily meal. Food is expensive for many. At least in the U.S. we have no lack of it and it is not rationed out to us or sold at black market prices.
6. Friends, Family and Pets.
Most all of us have one or more of these three things in our life. In some parts of the country and the world, people are alone--young children are alone. And the "pet" may have to end up feeding a family or a group of people due to lack of any other food supply. We spend more monëy on the food and vet bills for our pets than many people in poor countries MAKE in income in 1-3 years!
7. Living in a Democratic Society.
Not talking or pushing politics. But we are frëe to pretty much do and say what we wish as covered by the Bill of Rights. And we don't have tanks and armed soldiers walking the streets 24 hours a day looking for looters, guerillas and terrorists. Life and the government isn't at all perfect herë. But it sure beats anything else I have seen or read about in my lifetïme.
8. Abundant Natural Resources.
Yes we need to clean up our water and air, and plant more trees, etc. But we *do* have in our towns, water and sewage control that are sanitary to use and maintained. Our air quality varies from town to town, and on average is much better than in many other countries in the world. We also have ample supplies of electricity, gas, and other resources we need to live and thrive personally and industrially.
9. Clothing to Protect Us from the Elements and to Even Enhance Our Appearance.
True, there are places in the U.S. where people in poverty lack adequate clothing. Compared to our population, however, the majority of us have adequate clothes, and many of us have clothing that is both functional and attractive as well.
10. The Gift of Choice.
This is something everyone has no matter where they live. Even if they live in a poor non-democratic society, we all have the choice to make decisions, to act, and to be however we wish, as adults at least. This was given to us at birth and is nevër taken away, but is often taken for granted, ignored, or not fully developed or used.
About the Author:
Dennis R. Tesdell is an experienced personal development and self-care coach as well as an author on personal growth, self-care and self improvement issues.
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