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Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States, and I have been lucky to spend this day with my family and good friends. My Thanksgiving has been full of relaxation, food, and love: exactly what American culture has taught me to desire and expect on this day. I am incredibly grateful for this day and the hard work my parents have put in to building a life where this is possible for our family. I have enjoyed this opportunity to recharge, to continue old and new traditions, and reflect on the blessings I have.
Blessings are one word for what I experienced today - privilege is another. I am privileged by my family history (upper-middle class), race (White), education (PhD), and a current job that allows me a day off with pay. There are many in my community without these privileges, who had to work today, didn't have the money to travel to visit family, or didn't have money for good food. Most people don't have a family cabin in the woods that can literally and figuratively remove them from their everyday worries and allow them space to gain perspective. I say all this not as an apology for my privilege, but as an acknowledgment of the responsibility that stems from my place in society. I have a responsibility to be grateful for what I have and not take it for granted. I have a responsibility to recognize that my experience is not the only, or even the most common experience. I have a responsibility to use the privilege I have, the blessings I've inherited and sometimes earned, to create a more equitable future for all people. So on this Thanksgiving, I want to say that I am very thankful. I am also ready to turn my gratitude into action that brings forth justice.
1 Comment
Paul
11/24/2018 08:52:25 pm
Thanks for the acknowledgement that both your mother and me have worked hard to achieve what we have. But also, and thanks to your work and the work of your sisters, I've come to realize the incredible amount of privilege from which I benefit. I too am white, middle class, educated, and of course, male. Despite having all these advantages, many still don't succeed and that is when hard work and a lot-of-luck come into play. This weekend I give thanks for all those that came before me who helped me in many many ways that I know of, and ways that were invisible to me. My mom, my father, my older brothers and sisters, my public school teachers, my professors, my employers, Uncle Bob, my original business partners, my sponsor, and now my children who continue to help me grow. I'm grateful this Thanksgiving. I'm very blessed and I know it. Leave a Reply. |
Anne HillmanI am a constructive theologian and United Methodist Deaconess Archives
June 2020
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