“Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.”
— Henry Van Dyke
It’s so easy to be grateful every day working here. I really mean that. We begin each weekly staff meeting with gratitude to ground ourselves in the work. As I reflect this time of year, I know so many people who have such profound struggles in their lives, and they are real and hard.
I have a sister who is a dual organ recipient, and I learned many things on her journey. One of the most important lessons is what’s hard is hard. Hard isn’t relative. What’s hard for me may not be hard for you and what’s hard for you may not be hard for the next person and it doesn’t change the hard parts. Maybe part of our humanity is we can balance that and help others when things are hard.
I am deeply grateful for the presence of each of you in my life and in the lives of those we help. You make the hard easier. You smooth some of the bumps in all our roads. We need you and you are there.
Take this time to reflect, celebrate the love in your lives. And know as you rest your weary head, we are filled with gratitude for your gifts of wit, wisdom, and wealth.
Onward…
