Miller's Musings: Thanksgiving Week Edition

Credit: Derek Oddo/Gainlight Studios
Credit: Derek Oddo/Gainlight Studios

With Thanksgiving in mind, the idea of counting my blessings is a bit more tangible for me this year.  Thank you for supporting Sam’s Dream Blog!  Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Last Monday morning, I awoke feeling guilty. Not overwhelming so, but maybe worse, persistently so. You see, I am from near the area that got ravaged by tornados the previous day (Nov. 17.) So I awoke feeling conflicted. I awoke feeling a twinge of guilt on account of my hopes and dreams. My hopes and dreams are blooming and opening new shoots of growth every day. My neighbors back home literally had their hopes and dreams ripped out of the ground in some cases.

Although thankfully, I’ve never experienced anything like those tornados, I have had tough times. All of us have. I’ve also seen my neighbors flourish like I am now. When I was struggling, I didn’t hold their success against them. I was glad for them, and I believed my time would come. In the meantime, there was a gap between my flourishing friends and me, however. At that point, I was thankful for their help and encouragement. They used their passion, encouragement, and in some cases, resources, to give me hope and vision for better days ahead.

Now it’s my turn to provide that strength for my friends and neighbors. How about you? Is there something you can do to help the needy around you, whether in Washington, Ill., the Philippines, or elsewhere? One thing you can do is to keep dreaming. Then be ready to help others with their dreams.

To buy a T-Shirt with the Central Illinois Strong graphic, click here. All proceeds will go to the helping the victims of the tornado through a donation to the local Red Cross.