November

Is it enough to just focus on what is right at the present moment? Just seems like there should be another holiday at the same time to also think about how things can be better and not only be thankful for what you already have. I don’t think it is positive to just stay content with what you have. I don’t just mean that in a material way. The day after Thanksgiving is Black Friday where many have pointed out the paradox of being thankful for what you have one day and then plunging into extreme commercialism the next. This isn’t what I am referring to.

On the last few pages I talked about my surprise at all the good things that were happening when I reflected on the schools I attended. It now made me realize that this is something to be immensely grateful for that I didn’t think about at the time. I remember teacher saying things like “this thing you are learning now is something they teach in college.” How incredible to have adults that believe in your capabilities at such a young age that they don’t just slack off and say “oh they are just kids let's keep it at a low level.” How easy that would be to do for an educator to only put in the effort relative to what they are getting paid. So I have to say a massive thank you to all the teachers who chose to not do that because this is one of the main things that has allowed for a better society. This year Seattle was voting on school funding and several in my family were questioning why it should be supported. There are a lot of institutions that I think we as society should strongly question funding. Religious Institutions pay zero in tax but the moral backbone they provide is highly debatable (see my section on truth as it relates to moral on page four and five.) I am not sure they should get away with such financial benefits even if they could firmly prove their value (in Europe they are not tax exempt) but given how shaky religious beliefs can be that society just owes it to them to throw so much support behind them.