Thanksgiving 2012

An American friend of mine shared to us the story behind celebrating Thanksgiving.

The Native Indians of North America had been

an aid to the Pilgrims a long time ago 

when they didn't have enough food and clothing from

the bitter cold as winter season approached.

As I did further reading, these Indians were not actually friendly as they have

experienced exploitation and getting conquered by the white people then.

Their villages were attacked and were basically stripped off 

of what they have invested for their families.

But Thanksgiving was offered for despite these

heart breaking circumstances experienced by the Indians,

they still chose to extend a helping hand to those who were in dire need.

Another story from the bible goes that the pilgrims also celebrate this for

God had blessed them with good harvest.

My understanding goes that as I compared both stories, 

God had used the Native Indians to be able to play the

good Samaritan's role in this picture.

I have these stories in mind before I attended

the Thanksgiving Dinner colleagues from work prepared here in the hotel.

The evening was graced with good food,good wine and good songs
in which we all remembered celebrating feasts like these
and so would the coming holidays, with our very own families back at home.

My dad once said that in celebrating Thanksgiving,

the very reason is to express our gratitude to the Lord
for all the blessings that He hadbestowed on us.
Sharing this moment with families is of utmost importance
since our busy lives make us forget to stop for a moment
and just be thankful for the life we have.

Starting from the basic needs, the air that we breath,

every second I am blessed with it. I get to eat 3 times a day.

I don't only have enough clothing but I also spend time choosing what to wear.

I am fully aware that there are some who are not even blessed with any.
Yet I'm surprised, sometimes, I see myself annoyed when my clothes don't match.

The shelter I live in is warm and cozy. I can even stay in two. (Tin Shui Wai and Pa Mei).

Not to mention, cleaners come 3 times a week! Couldn't ask for anything more.

I have ride going back and fro work.And from that point, I am blessed with a job.

I am able to make people happy, do what I love doing.

I have happy hours to balance it with. Ha!

And I have my family here in HK, in US and in the Philippines.

Hogan also mentions of his family who treats me as one in Samoa.
That makes it 3 families to remember as my support groups.

I can sleep peacefully, walk out freely and is not held against my own free will.

I could go on and on and on and I'm sure you
have your own litany of blessings in your mind too.
Again, these are just but basics.

Every now and then, we would be blinded by challenges and problems

that would make us forget realizing these blessings that we have.

We often pour too much strength and effort in wanting

things that we don't have, in getting jealous of somebody who has more
or envious too of what we think should have been ours in the first place.
We compare ourselves to the people who have these
that we do everything that we can to hold on to the mere thought.

But if we'd just take a minute and consider people who don't have

what we do just like what I have mentioned above,

I'm sure we would be more than grateful.