“It’s a good world; it is the best we have now.”
Memoirs of W. T. Sherman, Volume II
Sherman gratefully addressed his friends as they gathered to celebrate his 70th birthday. Perhaps feeling a need to give words of wisdom to a younger audience, he offered advice gleaned from his own life’s experience: “I know that like all others you wish to make the world as good as yourselves… . But the first way to reform the community is to reform yourselves. But you have to take the world as it is”.
Realism and optimism. We need both. The first to keep us grounded, the second to reach for dreams. Realism presents conditions and circumstances around us and optimism inspires us to energetically respond to opportunities and challenges we encounter. Healing and hope. We long for both. Several months of a pandemic and a contentious election campaign have left us tired; realizing we need to come together but wondering how we’ll do so.
It’s not always easy but it’s attainable. It comes about when we consider how hope brings possibilities into clear focus and healing restores vision and strength to pursue the difficult good which in this case is to unite so as to confront the challenge of our communities, country and world together. Gratitude may not be the only way for hope and healing to come about, it quickens the process. Giving thanks for what we have and even what we lack is an antidote to bitterness in all its toxic effects.
Every day’s a good day to give thanks. But this month we have two holidays especially set aside; Veterans Day and Thanksgiving Day.
“Toward the close of the war, I have often heard the soldiers complain that the ‘stay-at-home’ men got better pay, bounties and food, than they who were exposed to the dangers and vicissitudes of the battles and marches at the front. The feeling of the solder should be that in every event, the sympathy and preference of his government is for him who fights.”
Memoirs of W. T. Sherman, Vol II
Sherman’s connection with his comrade in arms and his concern for them afterwards is legendary. During war he fought, ate and camped with them. “Officers should never seek for houses but share the condition of their men.” he instructs. Later he worked to establish pensions and methods of care. After his retirement he welcomed veterans who came to his door seeking help.
Women and men of the armed forces protect our country and freedom. “Home of the free because of the brave” should never escape our memory. In what ways are we showing gratitude not only on the one day set aside to honor veterans but every day? How are veterans being cared for in our families and communities? The elderly, sick and wounded in veterans’ facilities across our country keenly feel this time of social isolation. What can we do to shorten the time or distance for those who are separated from friends and family or more tragically entirely forgotten by them? In what ways are we grateful for the thousands of our military members deployed throughout the world?
Thanksgiving Day has its own winding history in our country. Significant in its establishment is that Lincoln had hoped that a day set aside for giving thanks to the Creator for all good gifts would also bring about the unity of a bitterly divided country in the midst of a civil war. Division still remains a threat. Looking beyond differences and being grateful together won’t resolve all problems but it will help us find solutions more swiftly. Attention and appreciation inspires generosity.
The president elect chose hope and healing as a theme to end the recent campaign and embark on a new chapter for America. He referenced a well-known hymn based on psalm 91. Here I recall a verse of another hymn; –which struck me years ago as a young chorister singing in a performance of Benjamin Britten’s St. Nicolas Cantata Op42:
Ye fearful saints fresh courage take
God Moves in A Mysterious Way, A. Cowper 1773, Melody London New
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head
So, sure there are things in this world that need to change. Some dreams though are within reach when, as Sherman says we gratefully take the world as it is and inspired by hope we make it better by reforming ourselves and doing what we can to bring about even a greater good together.
