Recently I was asked to list things I am grateful for. Full disclosure, this is a product of social media. Feel free to say what you like about social media, but it has its uses.
I post this because of the recent go-around here at Kos between theist and non-theists. I am an atheist at about 6.5+ on the Dawkins Scale.
With that said I am also a secular humanist. I am not trained in philosophy, but I am concerned with morality, and more importantly, ethics. I think morality is relative. Ethnics are absolute. Some dogma can tell you it is moral to discriminate and just as easily say the antithesis. Ethics will only have one stance on this.
But I digress. After the orange geometrics is what one atheist and secular humanist is grateful for.
Gratitude:
noun
1. The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness
The meaning speaks for itself. It goes beyond being thankful. The phrase “to return kindness” is something that is easily forgotten in today’s angry sound bite pundit-speak world. It is easy to return kindness to those of a like mind, just as it is easy to show compassion to the weak and soft spoken. The real challenge comes from showing kindness and gratitude to those we feel do not deserve our gratitude or kindness. More on that later.
I have been invited to participate in the 5 day gratitude list. I am good with that, but I will not be tagging people. I generally do not do tag.
And so starting with the core basics.
I am grateful for my family; my parents, who had a large contribution to who I am, both in nurture and nature; my siblings for being constant companions in early life and teaching me about conflict resolution and compromise in the beginning before I even understood what that meant, and for bringing such wonderful nieces and nephews; and my newest and most intimate family, my wife and children, for showing me how truly complete my life can be.
I am grateful for all my friends, old and new. They offer me contrast to my own self, give council, comfort, and can be relied upon to point out when I am being an ass. This I get from them and give freely of myself in return.
Gratitude day 2.
Today I am grateful for the quiet small town where I live. There are trees in my backyard that are older and mightier than I will ever be. Listen closely in my quiet little neighborhood and there are long stretches of time in which no sound created by humans can be heard.
I am grateful for the technology that allows me to live in such a remote place but remain connected to the outside world and all it has to offer. We have access to information in ways that could not be imagined just one generation ago.
Gratitude day 3.
Today I am grateful for my health, both physical and mental.
Illness is mercifully rare for me, and I have always had a bit of strength and stamina to draw upon in times of need. As the years pass and that physical prowess wanes, making way for the aches and pains that are the late dues of a life of excursion and exertion, I find solace in my mind and the pool of knowledge I continue to develop.
I am grateful that my mind functions in fact better than I thought it could back when I was not so kind to it. I am free of any mental detriments such as depression or other illnesses that are so misunderstood and can lead to profound tragedy.
I enjoy the memory of grand feats accomplished, the thrill I get from the adventures my cranky joints still tolerate and I am grateful for the wisdom to realize that maybe I should not try and lift that heavy thing that I would have made short work of a few years ago. It is an interesting balance.
Gratitude day four.
Today I am grateful for gainful employment. I am fortunate to have a job with a stable company that considers its humans as more than just a resource.
I am grateful for the diverse, dangerous and often bizarre jobs I have had in the past that gave me the skill set required to do what I do now.
It was a long day today so this post is short and not particularly glib.
Sometimes when you do what you do and do it well, it leaves you tired at the end of the day.
Today is one of those days.
Gratitude day 5
There was a time in my life when I saw conspiracy around every corner. I was that guy, the one with the tinfoil hat. Then an old friend, quite by accident, introduced to James Randi, the magician and professional skeptic. From there it was a rapid transition to other skeptics, scientist and modern philosophers. I learned to listen. I grew determined to look beyond my own confirmation bias and seek answers, even if I did not like those answers. This is no easy feat. I still fail at it more than I would like, or perhaps even realize.
Today I am grateful for the people who make me question my beliefs. It is all too easy to go through life in a bubble of confirmation bias. I am grateful for the people who do not agree with me for introducing me to new ideas and differing opinions. I am also am grateful for the willingness to call bullshit with civility and from a well-informed position, but never in haste. Listen and trust, but verify.
I am grateful for reason.
That's it. I did this five day exercise because we all think about what we are grateful for, but how often do we write it down and share it with others. I like the idea of writing it down and sharing it. It is one of the things that humanist do...share.
What are you grateful for?