Thanksgiving Weekend — No Meeting — What Are You Thankful For?

Friday, November 23, 2022, we are not meeting.

As we discuss the events of the day around plates of turkey or ham, many of us will be sitting with people who have very different views from us. Unfortunately, there are many public personalities modeling behavior in which it is cool to insult other people and talk about opposing ideas with disdain. There are also many public personalities who constantly fearmonger and who spread lies. Others refuse to listen to stories of how other people experience life differently from “us,” instead insisting that all Americans have the same experience.

None of this fits with the 4-Way Test of the things we think, say, or do. However, it is often hard to break the mold from the things we see and hear on a constant basis.

However, since Thanksgiving is a holiday devoted to expressing gratitude, it is a unique chance to break these defensive and antagonistic routines we see on modeled TV and social media and talk radio. We can ask ourselves, is there a way for us to be gracious with each other and express our thankfulness for the other people in our lives? Maybe you don’t like the person’s politics, but maybe you love their green bean casserole or the way they take care of older (or younger) people in the family or their sense of humor.

And in our gratitude, warmly expressed, we cannot help but pass the 3rd test of the things we think say or do: “Will it build goodwill and better friendships?”

If we enjoy this greater sense of gratitude on this holiday, maybe we should also take a look at the media we consume and the public persona we create everywhere we go.

May you have a joy-filled holiday that comes from being kind, gracious, and thankful.

 Our Current Speaker Schedule