Beyond Gratitude

If you have a job, or

If you get to live near your family, or

If you have time off of work on this holiday, or

If you have a home or shelter, or

If you have the ability to go to good doctors/providers, or

If you have the ability to get the medical help you need, or

If you have food to eat, or

If you have your health, or

If you have money to buy the clothes you want, or

If you have any financial security, or

If you got to go to a good grade/middle/high school, or

If you had the opportunity to go to college, or

If you get to choose your lifestyle without judgment, or

If you can live without stigma of any kind, or

If you have a voice in your society/nation, or

If you have the right to speak your mind, or

If you have the right to own things, or

If you you have the right to marry, or

If you can have a family if you want to, or

If you have the right to believe in what you want to believe,

If you have the right to choose your own religion, or

If you have freedom to make up your own mind, or

If you have the ability to vote for who is your leader, or

if you have the ability to peacefully defend your rights, or

If you have affordable housing, education, and childcare, or

If you have a fair job wage, or

If you have the ability to rest from work and relax, or

If you have the ability to be cared for by others, or

If you feel your creations or writing is protected, or

If you are able to choose your own way of life, or

If you can enjoy the good things of art and science, or

If you can enjoy the benefit of learning, or

If you have peaceful order to enjoy your rights and freedom...

... go, if you can, beyond gratitude.

May our gratitude abound for those who fight or fought

so that we and others can have such rights, such abilities.

They fight or fought in voice, in vote, in person, in battle, or in sacrifice.

May we also, when we can, be active in the fight.

May our fight allow all to be graced with such rights

in our nation and around the world,

for independence, freedom and democracy are sacred

-- not obtained or sustained without continuous effort and attention.