I went and saw The Help with my best friend last night. I love it. A lot. If you haven't seen it, go watch it. I should probably mention at this point that I have committed reader-sin... I have yet to read the book The Help. Anyways, it's inspired me to try and be a bit more thankful for things that I take for granted. They are as follows (I promise my listing habit will dissipate soon):
1. Insulin: (I've mentioned before that I'm diabetic.) Insulin has only been readily available in the past century or so. I'm not sure if diabetes has been recognized as an illness for longer than that, and I'm a bit too lazy to wade through all the stuff that pops up when I google the topic. Either way, it's pretty safe to say that had I been born before 1930 or so, I probably would have been in pretty bad shape.
2. Reading and Writing: I am a woman ( I know, "no duh") but that doesn't really make much difference today. I don't really think I need to explain the history of equality among men and women... needless to say, women have not always been allowed the right to read and write. I don't know what I would do without my novels and journals.
3. Equality: I could've listed reading and writing under this, but I think they deserve their own spot. I am so very thankful that I live in a country that doesn't tolerate racism. Well, that does it's damnedest to not tolerate it. My heart goes out to anyone who doesn't have this privilege. The fear and anger and paranoia that such a hateful practice breeds- it makes for a horrible environment to live in.
4. Freedom of Religion: I may not be the most religious, and when I am feeling particularly moralistic and churchy I may buy into the religion of choice in our country. That's not to say I don't deeply value tolerance; like I've said before, hatefulness is a horrible thing to live around- for the haters and the hated alike. A country becomes toxic any time there is a break in respect for each other.
5. My Parents: In the movie, Aibileen tells the little girl she watches "You is kind, you is smart, you is important." My mom was always very careful to watch what she said to my sister and me, always making sure it was a positive statement rather than a negative. My dad never stopped believing in what my sister and I could do. I know neither of them grew up in that situation- not at all. And I know lots of people who don't have good parents. I'm very thankful for mine.
I could probably go on all day listing out what I'm thankful for, but I feel like these five take the cake. I think it's a great exercise, this listing out what one is thankful for. I encourage anyone reading this to try it; hell, you don't even have to write it out. Just think about it.
1. Insulin: (I've mentioned before that I'm diabetic.) Insulin has only been readily available in the past century or so. I'm not sure if diabetes has been recognized as an illness for longer than that, and I'm a bit too lazy to wade through all the stuff that pops up when I google the topic. Either way, it's pretty safe to say that had I been born before 1930 or so, I probably would have been in pretty bad shape.
2. Reading and Writing: I am a woman ( I know, "no duh") but that doesn't really make much difference today. I don't really think I need to explain the history of equality among men and women... needless to say, women have not always been allowed the right to read and write. I don't know what I would do without my novels and journals.
3. Equality: I could've listed reading and writing under this, but I think they deserve their own spot. I am so very thankful that I live in a country that doesn't tolerate racism. Well, that does it's damnedest to not tolerate it. My heart goes out to anyone who doesn't have this privilege. The fear and anger and paranoia that such a hateful practice breeds- it makes for a horrible environment to live in.
4. Freedom of Religion: I may not be the most religious, and when I am feeling particularly moralistic and churchy I may buy into the religion of choice in our country. That's not to say I don't deeply value tolerance; like I've said before, hatefulness is a horrible thing to live around- for the haters and the hated alike. A country becomes toxic any time there is a break in respect for each other.
5. My Parents: In the movie, Aibileen tells the little girl she watches "You is kind, you is smart, you is important." My mom was always very careful to watch what she said to my sister and me, always making sure it was a positive statement rather than a negative. My dad never stopped believing in what my sister and I could do. I know neither of them grew up in that situation- not at all. And I know lots of people who don't have good parents. I'm very thankful for mine.
I could probably go on all day listing out what I'm thankful for, but I feel like these five take the cake. I think it's a great exercise, this listing out what one is thankful for. I encourage anyone reading this to try it; hell, you don't even have to write it out. Just think about it.
No comments:
Post a Comment