In a recent post, I talked about shorter days and colder temperatures that come this time of year – but that’s only true for some people that live on planet Earth, not all. And while the U.S. may be the only place that celebrates Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November, taking time to give thanks or celebrate the harvest is part of every culture. There’s the August Moon Festival in China, Tet Trung Thu in Vietnam, Chuseok in Korea, and Pongal in India.
It can become convenient and comfortable to look at the world through our own particular cultural, geographic, generational, or racial lens. But when we do, we lose a richness of perspective and experience that is our best hope for addressing the rapidly accelerating rate of change.
Homogeneity may make sense in times of stability, but that doesn’t describe our current world. We need people who bring fresh eyes. We need people who see from a different vantage point. We need people who are open to opinions that are different from our own.
So this week as I celebrate Thanksgiving, I will also celebrate the rich diversity of my community, my country, and the world – and hope that whenever they celebrate their day of thanks, they will do the same.
What are you thankful for?
Until next Tuesday,
Elizabeth