Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.
It's normal during this holiday to give thanks for what we have and to remember those who are less fortunate. This year was no different.
I came across this photo recently and seeing this young boy and his simple toy really really got me thinking about Thanksgiving in a new way; Even the simple things can bring us happiness. Just a tree branch, some wheels, and a coiled up piece of wire is all it takes. This photo made me realize that my own little daughter often happily plays for hours with a simple little metal car or her bread-box sized plastic bus. A set of wheels and an imagination is better than any toy you can buy.
Behind the boy a game of after-school soccer was going on. For the few days that I stayed in Arusha town last year I would see this game materialize every afternoon. All it took was saggy old soccer ball and this patch of grass, that could hardly be called a field, and the game was on. Shoes are not even necessary.
Something happens to us when we get older. We have jobs, mortgages, responsibilities. We get concerned about making money. And when the economy turns sour we worry about losing what we worked for. We worry about material status - the newest cell phone or latest model car. In all this adult distraction I think we can forget the simple things in life. This boy with his push car and broken flip flops is a testament to those simple pleasures.
I guess the lesson I'm trying to take away from all this on Thanksgiving Thursday, November 27th, 2008, is that it is possible to be happy with what we have. Times are tough out there. People are worried about their jobs and homes. But maybe for just today we can not only be thankful for what we have, but also simply happy.
Best wishes,
Geoff.
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