Giving Thanks

Although one might miss it due to the even earlier arrival than usual of Christmas decorations, next week really is Thanksgiving. This favorite holiday of mine comes tucked into a week of birthday and anniversary celebrations for my husband and me, making it an extra special week every Autumn.

For the past several years at Lynchburg College, the week preceding Thanksgiving has provided a sobering backdrop to the holiday as students observe Hunger and Homelessness Awareness week. I am always motivated by the efforts of our students to educate our community and advocate on behalf of those most in need.

Especially inspiring this year were the examples of students who not only slept outside in the cold and damp for a week but also fasted from food for the entire time. While some of us may make occasional sacrifices in order to be in solidarity with those who go without, these students were hard core in their determination to raise awareness on our campus while also deepening their own personal commitment to making a positive difference.

At the end of the week, several of the students came together for a simple breakfast to mark the official end of their fasting and sleeping out. Not only had they gained a greater appreciation for the many blessings they enjoyed each day such as warmth, safety, shelter, and food, but they also had a better perspective on the challenges faced by so many in our world, and even in our own community as a result of poverty and homelessness.

As we approach this special season of gratitude for blessings received, may we also be mindful of our obligation to share those blessings with others. Perhaps we might avoid the post-Thanksgiving rush to the mall for holiday savings and opt instead to invest our treasure in efforts to respond to those who will not be gathering around a plentiful feast this time of year nor going home to safe shelter.

Our solidarity sleepers have asked that the campus community support very local efforts this year including the Park View Mission, Miriam’s House, and Gateway. Should you wish to join them in this outreach, please send your contributions to the Chaplain’s Office, and we will see that your donations make a difference right in our own back yard.  (Checks may be made payable to Lynchburg College with “Hunger Relief” written in the memo line.)

While none of us can solve all the world’s ills, each of us can follow the example of our student solidarity sleepers by finding ways to give of our time, our talent, and our treasure to those who go without. In the words of the sacred Jewish text, the Talmud:

“Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief.

Do justly, now. Love mercy, now. Walk humbly, now.

You are not obligated to complete the work,

but neither are you free to abandon it.” – The Talmud

Peace,

Anne