Thanksgiving Thoughts

Too often, it occurs to me, my gratitude is poorly directed — it often gets directed to the object itself (“isn’t this ______ beautiful”) or to me (“I really needed _____”).  Sure, we can appreciate a coat on a cold day, food when hungry, or money when broke, but isn’t my gratitude for those properly directed not to the object or to me but to the giver?  That is, as with so many things, I am called once again to step outside of myself and recognize (damn it!) that it ain’t all about me.