My
teens remind me that this holiday of Thanksgiving has a checkered past. Its origin reminds us of when the generosity
of one people was met with oppression by the other. Yet the tradition of giving thanks for a
successful harvest, and later, gratitude for making it through a variety of
difficult times, is a long one and is shared by many people of different
cultures.
What
keeps us going in difficult and challenging times? We are certainly living in such a time now,
with widespread economic hardship and disparity. Is there something essential that we can
access under any circumstances that gives us strength and brings us peace?
The
practice of gratitude allows us to find the beauty in our lives, acknowledge
the love we give and receive, and experience ourselves as grounded and
balanced. It is not the same thing as
being in denial of adversity. It does
not preclude realistic analysis of the situation, or take away from tough
decision-making and planning. Rather, it
helps us appreciate and understand what we have, which is necessary to illuminate
our view of the path ahead.
So
for me, Thanksgiving is an opportunity for gratitude practice within the
context of the greater community. It’s
important to know its checkered past, to do everything in our power to
transform a history of oppression into appreciation and gratitude for diverse
cultures and peoples. And, of course, we
celebrate with a great feast of thanks for the delicious harvest.
Two
years ago, my son was a junior in high school and studying in Israel for the
fall semester. He was about to travel
with his group to Poland to study the Holocaust. The parents were asked to write letters which
would be given to the students while they were there, for support during a
difficult time, while they visited the death camps. I wanted to write something for him about
hope, and started writing a poem, but it morphed itself into a poem about bread
and peace. I
think the two are strongly related, for we must have hope to be able to
envision a world in peace.
Recipe for
Peace: Bread of the Earth
Take
a very large bowl
And
put the world into it.
Stir
carefully while adding:
-1
measure of pure warm rain
-a
double measure of the milk of human kindness
-1
teaspoon of wildflower honey
Sprinkle
with your hands full of the leavening of humor.
While
it starts to rise
Go
away and leave it alone.
Use
the time to lie in the sun
With
your ancient Labrador retriever,
Arm
resting on her lumpy softness,
Her
breath whistling in your ear.
After
all, DOG IS MY COPILOT.
After
she gets too hot, check the bowl.
The
bubbles are proof that it will all come together.
Time
to add more ingredients, this time by feel:
-seeds
of change – be sure to put in enough
-breezes
of hope fanned by millions of wings
-a
mixture of human endeavor soaked in spirits
-some
squeaky wheels liberally greased
-a
few salty tears to bring out the flavor
Knead
it with compassionate hands,
All
the hands around the table,
Each
sliding off the others
As
the dough is stretched and compressed,
Formed,
shaped, irrevocably changed by every touch.
While
you are kneading, sing –
Find
the notes that bring
The
work and the workers together into harmony.
Then
– you will know when – rest the dough.
Cover
with good intentions.
Use
this time to learn someone else’s language,
Talk
to a stranger,
Or
wonder who lives in outer space.
The
time has come.
Now
the dough can be brought
Into
alignment with the stars,
Shaped
into the peace that will perfectly fit
The
pan it was meant to inhabit.
Slipping
the pan into a crucible
Of
uncounted starfire, you wait.
The
scent is tantalizing –
It
is what you have always longed for,
Yet
do not know.
Finally,
it is here, in your own kitchen.
And
you sit with all the others,
Feeling
the purr of your warm cat
Extending
her vibration from your lap
Out
to the universe,
While
inside is Peace.
Danielle
Rosenman
c. November
11, 2009
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