John O'Connell

Checking off a list of reasons why life is good

Posted

There are at least a couple of reasons why Thanksgiving is a favorite American holiday. One is that Americans have so much to be thankful for, and two, it’s non-sectarian. Everyone, of any religion or no religion, of any ethnicity or socio-economic status, can celebrate what’s good in his or her life.

Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, rioting anarchists and peaceful protesters can all celebrate our otherwise taken-for-granted bounty. Almost all of the people reading this have jobs that pay enough to provide decent shelter, good food for the family and a car or two in the garage, and can afford school property taxes that fund multi-million-dollar budgets that include good teachers for their children. Those educators, and their administrators and aides, deserve our appreciation.

We can all be thankful for good health, or, if our health isn’t so good, we can rejoice in the quality of American health care.

We’re thankful there is an accessible, relatively affordable and excellent community college and state university system that can educate all who want to learn. There are several top-notch private colleges and universities within 25 miles of every reader.

Though we are often aggravated by political correctness, Americans have the freedom to say, write and read what we want.

We can be thankful for the law enforcement officers, firefighters and first responders — and their families — who sacrifice so much to help others without regard to who those others are. District attorneys and defense lawyers, especially public defenders, and fair judges deserve high praise for choosing careers that help make our judicial system work for all.

Members of our armed services, including their medics and chaplains, deserve our gratitude for the enormous good they do to protect us.

Believers and non-believers alike should give thanks to our community’s clergy, of all religious persuasions. Those among us who have devoted their lives to others, to preaching holiness and good works, whose vocation is to bring the spirit of God to our lives, are worthy of our thanks.

We can appreciate the hard work done by honest and good public servants, employed and elected. Amid all the news of corruption and pay-to-play scheming, we forget that our government at all levels depends on some wonderful and dedicated people — our own neighbors and fellow citizens — to function. For every Dean Skelos and Sheldon Silver, there are thousands of bureaucrats and honest elected leaders of all parties who make government work for us the way it should.

Of course, on Thanksgiving it’s important that we recognize the poverty in our midst, the hunger and want. Not everyone has a job, not everyone enjoys good health, and many people have addiction problems that have stolen a family’s resources. We celebrate the caregivers, the peacemakers and those who work to feed the hungry.

Veterans who have served this country with honor, many of whom are wounded or disabled, are shamefully neglected by a system we tolerate. Thanksgiving should be a call to action to help those who are in need. Imagine how politicians would respond if the marchers protesting the results of our presidential election turned their focus on Congress and the Veterans Administration to demand more effective processing of veterans’ health care.

We give thanks for the addiction-service counselors who help folks who can’t help themselves. Addictions to alcohol, drugs and gambling destroy not only the addicted but also their families, and pre-empt the good those addicts can do in life. They are society’s problem, and society’s opportunity to reclaim those lives for good. So we should be glad there are counselors who help everyone in the community by rescuing those disabled by addiction.

On a personal level, life is good. After having two surgeries this year, I’m grateful to be alive and cancer-free. I remain grateful to the surgeon, other doctors, nurses and medical assistants who helped me.

I stepped away from full-time employment this fall and now occupy myself with writing, photography, travel, reading and volunteer work, the avocations I’ve had all my life. Now I simply have 60 more hours per week — and tons less stress — to do them. I’m thankful for those I love, and that they are kind enough to love me back.

What’s the best part of Thanksgiving? For me it’s that the holiday reminds us of the basics. Family, friends, health, shelter, work, nice clothes, and the love in our lives. Thanksgiving reminds me that the true value of living can’t be found among political ideologies or technological gadgets. Faith, love and charity make our lives worth living, and on Thanksgiving we get to celebrate that.

John O’Connell is the Heralds’ former executive editor. Comments about this column? OConnell11001@yahoo.com.