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| A Thanksgiving Reflection |  |
| Location: Blogs Leanne's Blog |
 | | Posted by: Leanne | 11/22/2007 3:33 AM | Sometimes it is easy to give thanks and sometimes it is not easy! That is the way life is...I wonder why we all feel guilty when we have a difficult time being grateful. I want to tell you that it is okay to feel however you feel--even on Thanksgiving!!
Many of us who call ourselves religious people have learned somewhere along the line that to be a "good Christian," or "good Jewish person," or "good Buddhist," we have to be happy at all times. Especially, I think, in Christianity, we have gotten the message that if we believe in God we should be happy because we know that God is with us and in the end all will be well.
I would reframe what being a person of God is and I would invite us not to force ourselves to be anything-- not to make ourselves feel anything--happy or sad, angry or indifferent--but rather to "be our authentic selves," trusting that the God who made us, who hears our prayers (the sad and happy ones) loves us no matter how we feel! Instead of forcing ourselves to feel a certain way because we are people of God, and because we feel this pressure to feel thankful because it is holiday where it is expected, perhaps we should "allow" ourselves to be who we are, exactly as we are!
This thanksgiving I hope you have something that you feel grateful for. I hope you have many things that you feel thankful about--but remember, you are you and your feelings are yours and you can feel however you feel. God loves you in your joy, in your sadness, in your gratitude and in your struggle.
You are loved, just as you are! Even if you are unhappy on Thanksgiving! | | | Permalink | Trackback |
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