A dear friend of mine, now deceased, used to lead his family in an interesting moment of thanksgiving before some of their meals. Rather than a rote prayer of thanks or a spontaneous one, he invited everyone at the table to mention someone who had been responsible for the meal set before them.
Thanksgiving began with gratitude for one or more who had prepared the meal. Then the circle widened to include those who set the table, those who had gone to grocery store or farmer’s market to purchase the food, the grocers and clerks, the farmers and ranchers. Then the circle exploded to include those who picked the vegetables or worked on the farm that raised the cattle, those who transported the food from farm to store, those who hired them, those who fed them at truck stops along the way, those who taught all of them in school and allowed them to get the jobs they had, and on and on. Time had to be called at some point, usually at the point where it was clear that the circle of contribution is too vast to fully appreciate, even for a simple meal.
It’s one thing to be grateful for the obvious, such as the meal in front of us. In fact, it’s important to be grateful for the obvious. But the act of going beyond the obvious to all the supporting people and structures prompts us to realize a couple of things. For one, we are not in this alone. We are a part of an important network of support, and just like we want some acknowledgment for our part, we need to acknowledge others who get little acknowledgment for their contributions. The other thing we realize is the humbling side of not being in this alone. We have little basis for self-congratulations for being so independent and capable. We are interdependent beyond our imagination.
All who participate in this enormous network of support suffer and celebrate in ways we have no awareness of. But we can celebrate with them and suffer with them by being more aware and more grateful. I tried to end that last sentence with “more grateful for…” and I couldn’t come up with a closing word of what to be grateful for. Simply more aware and more grateful in all things.
1 Comment until now
This is wonderful and so helpful to realize how interdependent we are. In my own prayers, I also include the beings who offered themselves for my nourishment, whether it be grains, fruit trees, cattle, chickens, pigs. It is humbling, and my gratitude is strong. Thanks for this writing. As always, it is thought-provoking and powerful. Laurie
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