“Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.” Thomas a’ Kempis.
As Thanksgiving Day approaches, and families ready themselves for the trek “over the river and through the woods,” and for hope-for, stress-less gatherings, I pause in my own preparations to reflect on this saying. Like many people, I seem to be constantly striving to be the best person I can be…to reach my full potential, whatever that may be. I struggle, but I don’t give up. Why is it so hard? I think I have all the answers, good advice, and solutions to the problems encountered by everyone else in my family…or at least that’s what I tell myself. “If only they would listen…if only they did what I thought was best…lots of ‘if onlys.'” But, I can only change myself…I can only be accepting of my family and friends as they are, where they are…praying for each of us. I am thankful for my life, for my struggles, for my family and friends, and all other blessings. My Thanksgiving Day resolution is to keep working on myself and to accept the flaws and failings in each of us…after all, we’re only human. Blessings to you all.
