Goldendale Sentinel Editorial

Giving thanks can be an elusive proposition

A column by Rachel Cavanaugh
News Editor

“The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.” -- Eric Hoffer, American philosopher

     It is interesting to me how gratitude often pops up in writing, poetry, and philosophy, yet seems to be so elusive by human nature.
     Many human beings, rather than feeling grateful for what we have, are hardwired to want more.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. It is that instinct, I believe, that enabled us to survive so long as a species and to progress to the point we have - that kept our ancestors asking things like, “Shade is nice, but what if we had a house?” “Plants are good, but what if we had a whole farm?” And so on...
As opposed to creatures like, say, cats, which are pretty content with a bowl of milk and a soft cushion - and unlikely to venture far from the couch - human beings thirst for more. That thirst has led us through centuries of exploration, astounding industrial feats, and incredible innovation.
     My concern is that somewhere in all that accomplishment and future-thought, we may have created a physiological inability to appreciate what’s on our doorstep, or inside our homes.
     In the age of technology, the majority of us do not spend any significant amount of time feeling thankful. I don’t mean saying, “thank you,” but honestly being grateful for what we have around us.
Yet it is such an important part of our lives.
     There are very few things I am certain of, but one is that gratitude, every day, is the surest, most direct path to happiness.
     Focusing daily on what we are thankful for at this moment brings us closer to peace than anything I have found. Whether uttered under one’s breath, in one’s head, to a stranger, or at home, expressing thanks makes us whole and happy.
     We all know this instinctively, but it is easy to forget in the day to day.
     Today, as our country designates this the day of “thanksgiving,” let’s keep in mind those other 364 other days when we might do the same. Let’s work hard at that elusive “arithmetic” and take inventory of each and every blessing in our lives.