Be Thankful

Every year at the Thanksgiving table, salivating at the succulent turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce, welcoming each person into the family, whether a divorced friend or distant cousin, my family and I go around and reflect on what we are thankful for. Each year the meal changes slightly and the people are different, but what we are thankful for is usually similar. Health, opportunity, friends, family, and food seem to be the big ones.

But this year was different for me. In English we have been reading Reading Lolita in Tehran, and before the big feast I had finished my reading for the following class. The story is centered on women living in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the challenges they face as being women in a society that persecutes them and deprives them of their freedom in nearly every way. A group of women are selected by a female teacher, Azar Nafisi, to meet on Thursdays to discuss literature. A particular passage from the book struck me:

"I raised my glass of water to him and said, who would have thought that such a simple meal would appear to us like a kingly feast? and he said, We must thank the Islamic Republic for making us rediscover and even covet all these things we took for granted: one could write a paper on the pleasure of eating a ham sandwich."

The man is highlighting the difference between society before and after the strict law enforcements, and how once common objects and daily rituals seem foreign and suddenly special. The contrast between this society and our own is huge. Freedom is often taken for granted in America, and I have been reminded of this through Reading Lolita in Tehran. I feel so lucky to be a woman living in America: to be able to voice my opinions, go to whatever school I desire, and simply be blogging right now.

While many people complain about their issues with the United States and the government, I am thankful. Sure, there are many things that need to be fixed, corruption and the economy as a whole for example. But we are so lucky to even be able to voice our opinions on what we think is wrong. As we say our thanks this Thanksgiving, it is imperative that we are thankful for what we have, and not contemplate what we want to have.