Remaining Thankful

I feel like this post (as I mentally compose it) belongs it some kind of shitty self help book or motivational lecture, but here we go anyway because it's true.

Thanksgiving is over, for the moment we are technically in the midst of "the holidays" (for the moment, just wait until January, then February and what I'm talking about will truly manifest) and from a perspective of societal conditioning it's a time of year meant to reinforce our senses of gratitude, which as the over privileged members of the wealthiest, most sophisticated society in the history of the known universe we tend to lose sight of, and focus on our "first world problems" (I really enjoy that phrase because it's so true).

I for one am guilty of this, I always have been. It becomes especially difficult to remember that life is fundamentally good when it's as dark and cold outside as it gets during the winter in New England, and to forget about the great things one (in this case, me) has going for one's (my) self.

This is particularly true given the state of the world we live in, we have this incredibly wealthy, technologically sophisticated society and in our own borders people go hungry, can't afford or are even denied access to the right to a decent education (this is especially criminal in our public schools which are being devoured alive by the same forces behind ineffective charter schools which are propositioned as "the answer" but are really just a means to funnel state money into profit making eduventures but that is another post).

Even though Thanksgiving is over, here are things I'm grateful for. My health, running water, electricity, my very comfortable apartment, living in Cambridge, having a supporting family, my girlfriend, my acting career, being part of what's going to be a great production.

Last night especially I lost sight of all that, and was grumpy at the various tasks allotted to me as part of my not exclusively acting related role in this particular production. But then again, I'm working on Chekov, in a great theatre, with a great group of people and so many actors would kill for that opportunity so what do I have to complain about, really?

Exactly. Turning it around to buddhism for a moment... just that. Be in the moment. Appreciate what's in front of you, from the socks on your feet to the breath in your lungs. Seriously. Do that right now. OK continue worrying about things outside of your control, I do it, everybody does it and it's inevitable and futile. Now be in the moment. Repeat. Life isn't so bad. In fact, it is inherently good. That is the only thing resembling a religious mantra I require.