The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

Some weeks there are certain phrases or words that pop up unbidden but that are nevertheless welcome. During the recent cold snap, “gratitude” tended to rise above the flurry of other words, in part because the weather was dangerous and problematic, even in mostly benign settings.

Gratitude was expressed for pipes unfrozen, animals protected, electricity and furnaces that provided warmth and heat. Food on the table, coats in every closet, and cell communication in case things got rough were all blessings. I was personally grateful for the fact that I no longer dairyed in such brutal weather or had to contend with sick calves and frostbite on the cows. Others expressed gratitude for neighbors who checked on them, for errands run on behalf of others, and for the fact that we could focus on something other than the political nonsense and scourge of social media put downs and denigrations that seem so pervasive.

I can’t say that one absolutely led to the other, but this past week I have heard many persons share that they are the recipients of gifts of one sort or another. The gift of time was often cited, moments when small elements of grace crept into our routines or refreshed us in surprising moments and ways. Gifts of understanding, blessing, empathy and caregiving were inspiring for many. The list of gifts centered on friendship seemed particularly well populated. Comments and stories received by families of departed loved ones were small gestures that also carried great and lasting import.

Gifts of friendship were apparent in many settings including conversations that were cathartic and soul cleansing. Some gifts were expressed in the form of unspoken favors of presence that freed one’s spirit and nudged horizons a bit wider. In times of helping others, degrees of victimhood tend to fade into the background. Though it seems to be in vogue to claim others are at fault for our own predicaments, lending a hand distracts us from our self-centered-ness. That, too, is a gift.

It is gratifying, and no small gift, that many have concluded that following COVID restrictions unexpectedly represents both a patriotic and religious understanding to love God with all our hearts and love our neighbors in the ways we would most like to be treated. This is obviously a nation of free will, but it is also a nation whose citizenry shines when tasked with the full range of concerns that are before us, including the welfare of our neighbors. Living in a vacuum has never been an option.

Out of gratitude and its resultant gifts, “a new day” has taken hold. This is the most spectacular time of year for sunrises in the opinion of many. Not only are days getting longer, but sunshine that lifts up and sustains is suddenly present in larger amounts, and it is increasing daily. It’s a new day for improving relationships, expanding spiritual horizons, and taking stock of both who and whose we are. The sun illuminates in ways no artificial lighting can, and the landscape responds. The same is true for divine grace.

A new day is not simply a second chance but an opportunity to live fully into our potential as participants in the divine realm. Will we take the new day seriously enough to set aside pettiness and greed in response to higher aspirations? Who among us is up to the task? Hands up, please.