posted
Happy Anniversary, Hatrack. I love coming to this place and hanging out with folks who have resolved to listen to each other even when we don't agree. It's a place I can come to be more myself, instead of more like someone else's agenda.
I love that we don't bash males or females (well, very much anyway.) I love that none of us agrees with each other 100% of the time. And that there is no one I've always disagreed with.
When I first came here, someone mentioned Landmarks dedicated to the appreciation of Hatrack, and I couldn't ever imagine doing that. But it really has grown on me, and I don't think I've seen a Hatrack appreciation Landmark in a while.
I really appreciate OSC and his family for having us over, and Kathryn for helping us out.
I'm so grateful for a lot of good things in my life. To have a husband who is a partner in most of what's important to me. Three healthy children. Good health myself. A home to live in. Cars seem like a funny thing to feel gratitude for, but going without isn't a lot of fun. I'm glad I don't have to send my children to bed hungry at night, and that they have beds to go to. I'm grateful for peace and sad for the many who lack it.
That is where it gets weird. Is it wrong to be grateful for things others lack? When my sister was divorced I felt compelled to not make her feel worse by seeming happy to still be married. And yet her unhappines was theoretically from not having that. So it is, that to be sad that others don't have what I do is to acknowledge that it would be a good thing for them to have it.
Well, that's about it. I'm grateful for this place.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
Thanks, guys. Actually I've been not using this screen name for like 3 weeks. But :stretches neck: it feels good to be back.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Yay! Pooka is back! (I know you weren't gone, but I missed your name too.)
I second your thoughts of appreciation to Hatrack. Long live Hatrack!
I don't think it is wrong to be grateful to have something others lack. Most of the things we are grateful for are lacked by someone. As long as we are not "superior" about it or refuse to share our gifts. Being grateful is a good thing!
Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Gattaca Spoiler Warning: . . . . . . . Bok, I would gladly leave you a lifetime supply of body fluids and sloughed cells and incinerate myself for you. How's that?
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It's not wrong to be grateful for things others lack. In fact, the awareness that other lack them should make us more grateful.
It's when grattitude slips into thinking, "We're special" because we have these things that it gets worrisome - both because things can't ever make someone special, and because the good things in life are, at their base, gifts, not rewards.
I've never gotten the sense from you that you fall into either of those traps. So revel in your grattitude! Enjoy Hatrack! Here's to many more years.
posted
A special one for you, pooka: CheckMating . You might want to skip the second link in there , but the first one's a must !
Posts: 4519 | Registered: Sep 2003
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Wow, thanks you guys are all great. And I think this is actually producing some good ideas on the nature of gratitude. It's thanksgiving in April! We actually had a Turkey dinner on Saturday.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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You know it's all me, right? Sometimes it gets hard to carry this forum 24/7, but, y'know, I'm a saint that way. Give till it hurts.
Posts: 2258 | Registered: Aug 2003
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pooka, I just have to say that I really appreciate having you here on the forum. You always bring on the rational thinking smackdown, and a lot of funny. All the time!!
Please stay for at least another 3000 posts!! Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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