GRATITUDE REDUX

Symbiosis — endless giving, endless receiving

Gratitude |ˈgratəˌt(y)oōd|
noun
the quality of being thankful; readiness to
show appreciation for and to return kindness

Contemplating the meaning of thankfulness on this best of all examples of the history twisting represented by the United States’ various symbolic holidays this morning, I am stretched between the extremes in meaning from the obese boy being glad the bag of ding dongs is close enough to reach without interrupting his computer game to the gratitude I feel for realizing that the entire world is colored, shaped, flavored, textured, perfumed and sound-tracked by whether I feel like I’m getting to enjoy my life or having to endure it; quite independent of preferences about the individual events occurring. Returning to this realization in the aftermath of several complete alterations of material possessions and life style due to fire, divorce and willful adventure always makes me glad I’m glad I’m glad … But then along with all my other neopagan ways, I’m a hedonist as well.

The second part of the definition above scuffs up a handle on gratitude upon which business has a death grip. It is no longer a kindness when exacting excessive profit from the evoked gratitude was the purpose of the act; it’s prostitution of our better, greater selves for the evanescent rush of winning in a society of lesser, more isolated selves. It’s where the cliché, “What have you done for me lately?” originated and is used in one form or another throughout civilization. It is a practice among chiefs of pacific island tribes to become rich enough to give unrepayable gifts to the other chiefs to hold them in thrall to their gratitude. Such an approach makes the giving of a gift only possible to those who truly do not expect one and impossible to give to one who does.

I am grateful for being able to back away from caring where those damned ding dongs are and perceive a movement toward a kinder, more symbiotic behavior among civilized people despite the atrocities committed everyday by people unloading the burden they believe their life to be upon the world they irresponsibly hold responsible.