Hard to Be Thankful

 March 4, 2023

Sometimes it’s good for us to look at life from a different angle if we are to squeeze out of it all God puts into it for our good.

In my thankful calendar, today’s suggestion is to give thanks for three things hard to be thankful for. It got me to thinking.

Linda and I attended two championship basketball games today that would decide which of the local girls’ teams would go on to WNY sectionals. The first of these games was Panama vs. Sherman, long time rivals. Sherman leapt to an healthy lead early in the first quarter, which they maintained for the first half. The game itself isn’t the subject of my comments tonight; it’s the guy who sat behind us. He screamed, yelled at the refs, and spewed forth a constant barrage of insults and comments, none of which were particularly edifying.

It got so bad I was tempted to turn around and tell him to just shut up, but decided I didn’t need to enter my dog into that fight. Then I got to thinking, “I can’t believe he enjoyed the game; it was nearly two hours of constant irritation to him. He can’t be a very happy person.” I actually started feeling sorry for him, not being able to actually enjoy a sport about which he was obviously so passionate. I then gave thanks that I don’t know enough about basketball to get worked up over it. I enjoyed the entire game; that our team won was just icing on the cake, and had we lost, it would not have spoiled my day. Turns out, it was this annoying fan who prompted my gratitude.

During the game, my hearts burn kicked into gear. It’s an occasional affliction that warns me it’s time to lose some weight, kind of like an early warning NORAD system for my body. It’s not pleasant, but it’s also not life-threatening. I am thankful that God’s way of getting my attention regarding my health is heartburn instead of heart attack.

That’s only two “hard to be thankful for” items. I can’t think of a third, which means my life is pretty good right now. I am thankful for that, too. If an annoying fan and a bit of heartburn are my most pressing difficulties, I am indeed, a blessed man tonight.