Counting Our Blessings

Thanksgiving is the time of year to count our blessings, and share with our friends and families those things for which we are grateful. There are lots of statistics I’ve heard recently which drive home the fact that I can count myself among the priviledged.

Did you know that one in six people doesn’t know from where they will get their next meal? That’s one in six Americans, or 14.7% who are on food stamps–a jump of 66% since 2007, a mere four years ago.

I am humbeled and grateful as I give a Supplemental Nutritian Assistance Program (SNAP) orientation to a thankful customer who is unemployed and now one of the “new poor.” I gladly spend a few extra minutes to help her feel good about herself as she earnestly begins her search for work to become self sufficient once again.

I am grateful as I work with members of the “over fifty” crowd who find themselves recently unemployed and having a more difficult time finding work these days. It touches my heartstrings. Not only because I’m a card carrying member of this demographic, but because I know the depth of their work ethic and how deeply we all want and need to work. Work is plainly and simply the way that we define ourselves. It’s “how we roll.” I am grateful for my job, so thank you to my boss for that.

I am grateful to be sharing this holiday with friends and their little darlings and cooking again this year. I’m grateful for Momma’s recipes, and particularly her dressing recipe. And I’m grateful for Chinet dishes, making cleanup a lot easier.

Did you know that a whopping 14 million Americans will eat in restaurants next Thursday? All I can say about that scenario is “no leftovers,” no chaotic noises filling the house, and no aromatic smells from family recipes that linger in the kitchen. But if I were one of those dining out, I would be grateful for the outstanding service provided by the waitstaff who are willing to give up their holiday so we can enjoy ours.

And speaking of service, I am grateful for the compassionate fire fighters and volunteers who fought the many wildfires in the Houston area and in Bastrop County, and to the neighborliness of all the Central Texas residents who opened their hearts, homes and closets to help those who lost everything.

We live in difficult times, but still there is a lot for which we all can be grateful this Thanksgiving holiday season.

Sharan Nunn is an employment counselor with Workforce Solutions – Pasadena. With a background as a human resources generalist, she has experience in both health care and hospitality industries, where outstanding customer service equals success. Sharan is a native of East Texas, and has called Houston home long enough to remember when the Astrodome was the new “Eighth Wonder of the World.”