Despite my best efforts, there are days when it all goes downhill. The coffee spills, the bag rips, I hurt myself, there is a need I cannot fulfill, complaints, disappointments… no matter what I do, the day cannot be turned around.
Yet I still try and remember I am fine.
I currently live in a city where one fifth of the population falls below the poverty line. 2nd Harvest, a food charity, serves 55,000 meals a week. They serve more meals in one week than runners running the NYC marathon. To put that in perspective; think of five people you know. Now imagine that one of them feels food insecure every day.
That is why, no matter how upset I am at the day, I try and remember that my fellow man, literally that fourth person over, is suffering too. It is a cold, but necessary comfort. A way to keep from wallowing in my own petty self-pity.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because, at the heart of it, it is just a meal. It is a chance to practice gratitude and break bread with friends and family. Such a simple idea.
But, for some of us, it is a reminder of what we lack, of what we cannot provide. For me, Thanksgiving is bittersweet this year. It marks one year from my mother’s diagnosis. In a week, it will be one year from “Five Days and Everything Changed.”
Holidays like this are fraught because they are simple, yet complicated. We get a chance to reflect and practice grace, yet we also don’t stop being ourselves. We show up as we are. And if we are struggling, if we are suffering, that will not change because we made a big meal.
And that is the point; there is so little that separates our suffering. We are all suffering. So, rather than isolate, we really need to reach out; try and help each other out.
As the holiday season ramps up, my hope for you is this:
May you feel loved,
May you be blessed with good food and care,
May you know joy,
and may your burdens be lightened.
With love,
Jen
Empower | Educate | Encourage