By Mark Fowler

“Gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy.” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Any sceptic of the doctrine of Original Sin has failed to comprehend the devolution of Thanksgiving from an event of religious significance to an orgy of gluttony and consumer excess on Black Friday. Nevertheless, course correction requires awareness, thus an examination on why thankfulness is essential to proper living.

Borrowing from an article by Rachel Cruze at Ramsey Solutions, thankfulness elicits humility. We come to recognize that in many respects we have been blessed beyond what we deserved. We live in a world where we enjoy amenities unimaginable even to royalty 100 years ago. Economist Thomas Sowell notes that most people defined as living in poverty by federal standards have a television, automobile, dishwasher, air-conditioner, washer, dryer, and a phone. We have doctors, nurses, and technicians who worked hard to learn the craft of fighting disease. We have philanthropists who built hospitals. Thankfulness produces happiness, health, and contentment. It introduces a positive ray of sunshine that helps us overcome life’s difficulties.

Positivity allowed Thomas Edison to keep looking until he found an acceptable filament for the light bulb. (It took him 1,000 tries.)

Positivity inspired Anne Sullivan — who became blind at five and suffered the loss of her mother and brother from tuberculosis, the abandonment of her father, and mistreatment at an orphanage — to become the mentor of Helen Keller. Keller embraced positivity to overcome blindness and deafness and become a worldwide celebrity. Both suffered from terrible circumstances but became thankful for opportunity.

Thankfulness encourages generosity. Every household suffers loss, disappointment, and heartache. Every soul needs a sympathetic ear. Thankfulness encourages us to share our time, affection, and generosity.

This season, instead of wretched excess, as my friend Dr. Sanner once observed, let us be thankful for our blessings, of which we have many. Even in the midst of loss, tragedy, illness, bankruptcy, and death, we all have something to be thankful for and lift our spirits.

And if you draw a blank, here is a list that might remind you of the selflessness of others: The crucifixion of Christ; the work of the Apostles; the Founding Fathers; the courage of the men who fought in the many wars we have endured; the Salvation Army; Samaritan’s Purse; and the Cajun Navy.

If that does not inspire you, then consider the excellence of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Lerner and Loew, Rogers and Hammerstein, John Lennon, and Elvis Presley. Or the contributions of those who gave us the visual arts: Rembrandt, Manet, Monet, Caravaggio, and Michealangelo.

If you prefer the written word, then consider the works of Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, Shakespeare, Milton, Twain, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Solzhenitsyn.

Perhaps the world of art and literature is not your interest. In that case, remember the contributions of these inventors: James Savery (the commercial steam engine); Thomas Edison (the light bulb, phonograph, motion picture camera); Nicholas Otto (gasoline engine); Oliver Evans (refrigerator); Henry Ford (mass production); and the Wright Brothers (airplanes).

If that is not enough, then your friends, your family, and your teacher are people for which to be thankful.

Thankfulness is a modus vivendi and well expressed by Melody Beattie: “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

Mark Fowler is a board-certified physician and former attorney. He can be reached at [email protected].