Giving Thanks

 

“Whatever happens in your life, no matter how troubling things might seem, do not enter the neighborhood of despair. Even when all doors remain closed, God will open up a new path only for you. Be thankful!”

-- Elif Shafak

Strive for true happiness always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances. I strive to live by this.  I strive to live by this because I came up with it. It took me 57 years of life, and a divorce after 25 years of marriage, to realize what true happiness was. It wasn't about money and wealth.  It is about striving to be truly happy if you have nothing. For me, it was a lesson.  It was a chance to start again with better people and a clean slate. Putting the barrel of a gun in your mouth is not an answer. Starting over again, and learning the lessons life has dealt you, these are the answers you can live with.

As a child, I dealt with a Dad who really didn't know how to be a father.  As a Dad, I emulated him. The difference for me was that I learned. The difference for me, after the nasty divorce, was that I discovered how to strive for true happiness always and in all things, regardless of my circumstances. My mother was a great teacher of life.  She was the shield that kept me safe.  And, with her help, for the past 22 years, I have been the happiest I have ever been.

I thank my Dad for being who he was.  If not for him, I would not be the man I grew to be. I thank my Mom for being a calming influence in my life, and a teacher of all things spiritual. With all thanks, I will miss them both, and when the Vietnam conflict was raging, God gave me a new path to the military, and for almost 23 years I excelled. I have children and grandchildren. The marriage notwithstanding, my life was on a path I would never have thought would be so exciting and eventful.

When I retired, I went looking for challenging employment that turned out to be elusive. But, as it turned out, another path, I would never have thought of, opened for me.  I spent the next 17 years in the employ of a startup Institutional Review Board, as Corporate Liaison and Manager of Projects and Standards.

I give heartfelt thanks for the paths that life has presented me.  To be presented with a path is not the same as making good use of that path. I have learned through life, to always make the best use of what life places before you.  Whether it is a lesson or a gift, you need to cherish both. You need to cherish those around you.  You need to be selfless in all that you do. And, most important, you need to mentor those who need the help.  I try to do this daily.

Don't pay attention to what you desire.  Pay more attention to what you have, because it may go away in short order. Strive to be truly happy always and in all things, regardless of your circumstances.  It is a simple choice you make for your life. As a choice, happiness can be sustainable until your choice changes, which would be counterproductive.

As 2023 winds down, I look back and cherish the life I have led.  I cherish the lessons that 25 years of marriage taught me.  I cherish the lessons of being a father and a grandfather, I cherish the lessons I learned for my Mom and Dad. And, I cherish all the friends I have had and still have.

This Thanksgiving, I will give thanks for my eventful life, the good and the bad.  The balance has been nothing but exciting.  Balance in life is all about living, and I have lived.

I give thanks to all of you who read my posts, especially to the League of the Perpetually Offended who have given me much to think upon. I give thanks to my family, friends, Terry (my significant other), and all those will will cross my path in the future. You have no idea how you have, and will, enriched my life.

“Don’t walk in front of me… I may not follow

Don’t walk behind me… I may not lead

Walk beside me… just be my friend”

-- Albert Camus

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch - it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either view any more right or wrong than the other. Opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form their own opinions, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint.

I fervently hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning those opinions offered. After twenty-three years of military intelligence, I believe that engaging each other in this manner, and in this arena, is a way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience... and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. Following his service career, he spent 17 years working with the premier and world-renowned Western Institutional Review Board, helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. He also served 8 years on the Board of Directors for the Angela J. Bowen Foundation.

Ordained in 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As a weapon for his war on intolerance, he chose the pen. He wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's personal, spiritual path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as the lead chaplain at a regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony at: tolerantpastor@gmail.com