Although I’m not a particularly religious person, I thought sharing a church door would be appropriate on Thanksgiving Day as one place where people traditionally go to pray as well as express gratitude for their blessings in life.
I’m grateful for so much this Thanksgiving Day, most importantly my family (including my pets!), my health, my friends, my home, my freedom and my financial and physical security. Those are easy things to tick off for most people I know, but in this time we find ourselves in there are so many who are lacking these basic things.
Without them not much else matters.
I certainly don’t have any answers to the problems we face, whether they be terrorism, refugees, immigrants, gun control, healthcare or any other number of concerns. But I do know that the way things are headed our security will soon be jeopardized and nothing else will matter until we feel safe again.
I feel powerless to influence any of these issues, except through my single vote. And even if I could, I don’t know what the right answer is. There isn’t a perfectly right answer. It’s so complicated and there are serious pros and cons to every option.
I have never enjoyed politics and in recent years enjoy it even less. The information provided is never the complete picture and there isn’t a single source that I can trust to not put a spin on the news.
Conflict makes me uncomfortable and the constant back and forth between sides is unproductive. No one really wants to listen to what the “other side” is saying with the intent of truly understanding and with an eye towards a compromise or solution agreeable to both sides.
Have you ever been in a political discussion where you were able to change someone’s mind? Some people enjoy the banter and arguing and debating. I do not. I know I won’t change someone’s mind, and I don’t want to be put into the position of defending my own beliefs and opinions.
I’m assuming if you have the time and means to read this blog post you are also blessed with many of the same things that I am. So let’s be grateful together today, on Thanksgiving, for the fact that our basic needs are met and that we don’t have to worry, at least for this one day, about our security.
That could all change tomorrow.
I would love to hear what you are thankful for as well as how you feel about participating in political debate.
The church featured in this post is the First Church of Christ in Wethersfield, CT. A congregational church that has been meeting since 1635, the actual building was completed from 1761-1764 in the Georgian architectural style. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Enjoy this post? Check out other Thursday Doors as part of the weekly round-up sponsored by Norm 2.0. Or take a peek at a couple of my past doors here and here.
My name is Deb Cohen, and I am a lifelong resident of Connecticut, a lover of all things historic and New England, and a realtor who helps buyers and sellers achieve their real estate goals and dreams. When I’m not working, I enjoy life with my husband, our two adult children, and our two rescue pups. Renovating and decorating our historic home, dating to 1800, is another favorite pastime.
This is a beautiful example of brick masonry for sure and your shots of it are perfect Deb! Way back, when these great churches were established, they were a place of refuge and saftey for the families in the community. A place to gather, pray and talk to work out the issues that were at hand. Those old church walls witnessed marriages, births, deaths,wars and many celebrations. Many succumbed to fire, tornados and the like…but were rebuilt by the loving hands of the community in order to remain a place of refuge and safety for all.
Thank you so much Tina! Apologies for the delayed response – I haven’t been feeling well the last couple of days. Churches were such a hub in the community in years past. I think there are still many strong church communities out there today but not like it used to be!
It’s almost impossible to discuss politics, or often religion, online, especially on FB. Too often, even a post is a rant and I had a “friend” on FB delete a non-controversial remark from his FB feed because it didn’t jibe with his politics. Memes are too often hateful and you can’t discuss with a meme. I don’t agree with many things some politicians do, but I don’t hate them.
Yes, we have so much for which to be thankful and trying to remember that and share that would be a better use of time for many.
janet
Thanks Janet! I think some enjoy the sport of it, and I wouldn’t mind a conversation but too often it just slides downhill…I posted a few things on my FB recently but ended up deleting them and deciding that it’s just not worth putting things out there, especially on social media.
There are also people I could discuss with but their friends post all sorts for hateful things and make that impossible.
Yes, sometimes it seems like people “throw up” all over Facebook 🙂 that old saying about not discussing politics or religion doesn’t seem to apply on social media! I have been guilty of it myself once in a while but plan to stop from now on.
I really love the symmetry in that first shot – there’s something soothing or reassuring about it.
I know what you mean about political discussions. It’s sad that many just can’t have a calm rational conversation to understand and exchange different ideas and viewpoints. When I see it descending into a shouting match I just walk away – life is too short.
Enjoy your holiday weekend 🙂
Thanks, Norm! I wish both “sides” could sit down in a room on any given issue and really listen to each other and hear where the other side is coming from. It’s like no one wants to give an inch, but I think really the majority of people are somewhere in the middle and would/could compromise. Hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving!
Also! I love symmetry. Everything is right when it’s symmetrical 🙂
I love that brickwork! And the Storybook Style house on the Church Street sign is the cutest! My husband loves to discuss politics, but I try to steer clear of it, unless I’m talking to somebody I can trust to think and not respond with knee-jerk arguments. I’m thankful I have a lot of friends like that. Sometimes we do change or modify one another’s minds!
Thanks! The brickwork pattern is so subtle but once you notice it you see it always! And I love the little street signs in that area – they are throughout the Old Wethersfield, CT historic district. My husband loves to discuss politics as well and unfortunately for him I don’t have much interest. He needs to talk about it when he is with other people!!
I love that church sign! So adorable!
I don’t mind a lil political debate, but I like to learn. I’m interested in why people see things the way they do. If people are expressing opinions while shouting or ALL CAPPING or name-calling, that’s my cue to exit the conversation. There aren’t a lot of people who can maintain an intellectual conversation without resorting to that sort of behavior, so I don’t have much of it.
I think it’s good to have friends to the left and the right of me, for optimal views 🙂
In terms of being grateful, well, that’s where I live — in a permanent focus of gratitude. Hard to find fear or anxiety while in gratitude 🙂
Today I’ll say it’s been nice having my son home and I can just smile while I watch him eat. Haha. But I’m so blessed, as you say, to sit here on my sofa, with my family and our music, in our nice warm house, with my belly and heart full to bursting, reading your Doors post. How lucky am I?
I hope you had a lovely holiday as well 🙂
I like to learn as well so as long as a discussion is factual and calm I don’t mind! Sometimes I don’t know where I stand on a particular topic or I’m wavering, so I like different viewpoints. But many times it’s just unproductive ranting that doesn’t actually benefit anyone. I definitely have friends and family on both sides of the fence and I respect the different views. I am more of a middle of the road type of person overall but on an issue by issue basis I have pretty strong feelings one way or the other. I wish we could have an issues focus vs. a person focus. I hate all the “hating” on Obama and others in the political process. Why can’t we disagree with their policy or their actions in a given situation vs. expressing overall hatred or dislike of the person? I could go on 🙂 I’m glad you are able to live in a permanent focus of gratitude! I’m not there yet but do feel in the moment quite a bit. Sounds like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We did for sure. I won’t win any prizes for my cooking but it was all edible and fairly yummy!! And I slept in today – yeah me!
Nice post and very appropriate for today.
Thank you John!! Hope you had a wonderful day yesterday 🙂
Have a Happy Thanksgiving Deb. I’ll be sure to avoid political conversations today and most days. You chose a great church to feature today.
Thanks Dan! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I don’t mind other people talking politics, I just don’t like being part of them 🙂
Handsome choice for today. 🙂 I must admit to trying to stay out of the political conversation with the exception of wishing peace to everyone. There is so much fear mongering and ‘wag the dog’ in the reporting of the news today, it is hard to differentiate fact from fiction. So, I’ll repeat myself – I wish peace to all on this special day when I’m thankful for family, friends, good health, and my friends from the blogging community. 🙂
Thank you Judy! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I don’t think sending peaceful wishes is political (or at least I don’t think it is!) Seems like something most of us would wish for 🙂 I’m also grateful for my blogging and social media community. So fun to see what other people think and do!