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Lately, I can’t seem to get the lyrics “What the world, needs now, is love, sweet love” out of my head. This past election season has been stressful on every single person I know, no matter who they voted for, where they live (inside or outside the U.S.), or what they believe in. I can’t help but think of the amount of stress that has been pumping through our society for so long and the damper it puts in our lives. So, maybe a little love is what’s needed.

Someone asked me recently, “How do you fight hate?” and I said, “With patience and love.” If one angry person starts ranting at another angry person, then what happens is only more arguing and fighting, and no one gets taken seriously and you get nowhere. I understand both sides of the coin. However, I try to keep encouraging people to keep an open mind. Why should anyone give you any shot in life if you can’t do the same for another? Trying to convince someone to change their mind about something they feel strongly about is like trying to convince a tree to change the color of its bark. Instead, why not teach someone how to grow healthy and strong as who they are, despite any winds of adversity that may come upon the horizon? A tree may not be able to change the color of its bark, but it can grow healthy, peaceful, strong, and resilient in the face of adversity. This is something I didn’t learn until recently myself.

I am so far from having a clear understanding of many things in life. Sometimes, I hear other people talk and I listen to their stories and think, “Wow, that person really sees something I don’t” or “How can a person not respect another person’s freedom of choice in America of all places?” I wish I understood more than I do–I honestly and truly do– but all I can say is that I understand people are tired, stressed, scared, and especially angry. But all I can see right now is that this is the perfect time and perfect chance for us as a country to unite and talk about the issues at hand instead of showing the world our division and anger. Let’s show the world we can still work together despite that, which is what made America once great in the first place. The dice has been rolled and the cards have been played–now, let’s make some lemonade.

Charles Dickens once said, “I wear the chains I forged in life….I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.” What chains are we forging in our lives? With each act of resentment, anger, and hurt we do to others, what does that mean for us? Do people even care? It was Charles Dickens who also said, “I have enough of the world now to have almost lost the capacity of being much surprised by anything.” I may be wrong, but I feel many people in our world today can understand that statement. So, how can we help this situation? We are, after all, only one person each. What can we do?

I have been thinking hard about this and I realized something. I realized I almost forgot that Thanksgiving was upon us. That is sad to me because Thanksgiving is one of my absolute favorite holidays! Instead of everyone focusing on what they resent or are angry about, I challenge everyone to post to your social media or ask your friends and family, or respond here, anywhere; to each day post at least three things you are thankful for in life. Keep your list each day, and on Thanksgiving Day, share that entire list with everyone. I think people may see that they have more in life to be thankful for. I started this at work, thanks to my dear friend who gave me the idea. Now, I will take this a step further and begin posting for myself each day, at least three things I am really thankful for in my life. On Thanksgiving Day, I too will share my list. I hope others will do the same.

Does anyone accept my challenge?