Gratitude in the Eye of the Storm: A Thanksgiving Reflection
Thanksgiving invites us to pause and be thankful for life’s blessings — the warm glow of family gatherings, the sound of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on the television, the scent of pies cooling on the counter, and the time to reflect on what’s good. But what happens when the blessings feel distant, overshadowed by a life that isn’t anything like the one we imagined? I know I am not alone in asking this question. So, if you ask these words, maybe my rambling will lighten your spirit. You are not alone in your feelings; sometimes, the most incredible places of gratitude are where joy and sorrow intersect.
For several years, I’ve found myself between gratitude and the weight of reality. Life hasn’t unfolded the way I pictured it. Instead of walking confidently toward my dreams, I’ve stumbled into detours I never expected. And let’s be honest: sometimes those detours look less like scenic routes and more like full-blown s*$%storms. (Sorry, there was no other word; still, I censored it for the young and more conservative readers.) Struggling to find gratitude as we make our way through the valleys of tears, the depths of financial stress, and piles and piles of reality.
Mistakes and hard times genuinely have a way of derailing the life we thought we’d have. One wrong decision, one missed opportunity, one failure, and suddenly, we’re miles away from the future we dreamed of. We replay those moments, wondering what might have been if we’d chosen differently, worked harder, or seen the red flags. These places leave their mark — not just on our plans but on our spirits. They can isolate us, filling our heads with shame and our hearts with self-doubt. And while life keeps moving forward, it can feel like we’re trudging through the wreckage, desperately trying to piece something together that resembles stability.
So here I am, preparing to sit at the Thanksgiving table, torn between gratitude for what I have (still more than I deserve) and the sting of the hard road I have been on. The dreams I held so tightly seem far away, yet I know I’m not alone in these feelings. If we’re honest, most of us are navigating lives that our reality has reshaped. Sometimes, we’re rebuilding in the aftermath; sometimes, we’re still in the storm. But here’s the thing: even in the chaos, some form of gratitude can be found. After all, the mess of life doesn’t completely erase its beauty. It doesn’t make my children’s laughter less sweet or my family’s love less real. It doesn’t cancel out the moments of joy that sneak in when I least expect them.
Gratitude doesn’t mean pretending the hard times didn’t happen or dismissing the pain they’ve caused. It means finding the courage to name what’s good, even when it feels like the scales are tipped in the other direction.
I’m learning to hold both truths this Thanksgiving: the S&%$storms (again, sorry) and the grace of what remains. It’s messy and uncomfortable, but maybe that’s what Thanksgiving really is — a space to acknowledge our lives’ complexity, sit in the tension, and still whisper, “Thank you, Lord.”
So, if you’re staring down a table full of mashed potatoes and expectations, wondering how you ended up where you are, know this: hard times, mistakes, sickness, etc. may change the trajectory of our futures, but they don’t define the totality of our lives. And even in the wreckage, there’s something worth giving thanks for -even if it’s just for the pie.
Sincerely,
Jeremi
PS — If you want a Thanksgiving playlist to accompany this journey were on, check this one out: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1LrhTQtBQjz3JJfoQyt72x?si=f00a111304214112
PSS — We’ve got this! Lamentations 3:22–23. “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
