A “Thankful” Time
We’re not a very religious Smith family but I like to think we are quite spiritual. Spiritual, I guess, in that we do our best to maintain a sense of a “bigger than us” mindset. Little behavioral themes like our belief that “you are where you’re supposed to be” - whenever life feels great, just ok, or maybe just downright tough. While we don’t know “the plan”, we’re aware that there is one.
Or not necessarily praying at dinner each night together, but acknowledging the food on our table by sharing what we are “thankful” for before we enjoy what is usually a bountiful meal not afforded to most humans on this wide earth. So maybe we live with a certain respect to context and where/how we play our part within that reality.
As a father and husband I have this constant feeling of “worry”. Whether it be worry as an advertising agency executive about what happens when I age over 50 in my profession, whether I locked the doors at night, or whether my wife made it to school safely with the kids this morning. And each time I’ve worried since October of 2011 - I remind myself of just how lucky I am that THESE are my worries.
Crappy day at work - I’m thankful for the opportunity.
Parking ticket from City of Chicago - I’m thankful for my vehicle.
Mom calling me to help her figure out how to sign into Netflix…again! - I’m thankful that my mother is still here!
“IF YOU REALLY DO ZOOM OUT...THERE’S AN OVERWHELMING SENSE OF GRATITUDE AND FORTUNE”
I share all of this as perhaps a reflection of what’s been an incredibly poignant month of November. One in which family and friends across our nation woke up and as of this writing, continue to wake up, to the loss of loved ones due to senseless and hateful violence. A month in which American democracy may have witnessed one of it’s toughest challenges in modern history. 3+ weeks of weather patterns never seen on our planet. I guess if you really do “zoom out” - if you’re alive today, if you’re in a warm and stable home, if the same family you loved yesterday is still at your dinner table right now - maybe now more than ever, there’s an overwhelming sense of gratitude and fortune.
A month of November where one of advertising industry’s greats - Andrew Swinand of the famed Leo Burnett agency - reminded us that we live in the “penthouse of life”. If you’re reading this article right now - this reference very likely applies to you. Can there always be more success, more things, more experience, more, more, more for “me”, of course. But as Andrew put it - living in that “penthouse” comes with an obligatory “rent” . A rent that involves being “kind”, giving back, reaching down, up, around or wherever there is need, to make this second, minute, hour, day better for the people around us and the world we live in.
“WE LIVE IN THE PENTHOUSE OF LIFE”
As a Black man, I have to admit when hearing Andrew reference the importance of kindness and “paying rent” last week at his Silver Medal recognition, I thought “how easy it must be to be live these values as an established straight White male.
I know that’s maybe a horrible reflection, but in my vulnerability, I couldn’t shake the flashes of micro aggression I feel every day in my profession, or the self hate in certain parts of my own community. How this all can make even the most humble of us wonder - would life be better if I weren’t always kind? Maybe Andrew’s running a different obstacle course that allows space and time for “kind” breaks?…if so, gosh I’d love an invitation to that course if spaces are available!
But as soon as this thought flashed across my mind, I felt an incredible sense of joy. I looked around at the people at my table, the tables next to me, Renetta McCann, so many others. I looked at the bright lights shining down on the award ceremony. I looked at the food on the plate in front of me. I peered back at Arnett and the Off The Street Club family. I looked at the clothing I wore that evening, the fresh water we all drank, the lack of “security” at the door, the list goes on and on and on…. The list of blessings surrounding me, us, so many people everyday. Blessings that, if we just took a moment, to really settle into how amazingly fortunate we are, would maybe make it so much easier and fulfilling to “pay our rent”. To be kind, to help someone else, to be thankful for RIGHT NOW.
Not for what we’re striving for tomorrow, or memories of past greatness - thankful for just this moment, the people, the life, and space in front of us. How amazingly short our time on this Earth may be and the beautiful opportunity we have in the “penthouse” to make that brief time better not just for ourselves but for so many others around us.
This holiday and hopefully beyond, let’s all…Be Thankful, Be Grateful, Be Overjoyed, and Be Kind.