Posted by By J E SOLOMON
This month, November 2010, marks the second anniversary of this website – http://www.jesolomon.com. November also happens to be our thanksgiving month. On this occasion, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all of the special people in my life that have shown remarkable openheartedness, friendliness, and sincerity in their relationship with me.
Most of them, surprisingly, have been people not related to me directly or indirectly by blood or descent. And that is the most interesting and soul-uplifting part of it all. I truly and greatly appreciate their presence in my life.
These are men and women who don’t care what color, race, nationality or ethnic group I belong to, or what faith I choose to honor God. They have been nice to me regardless. I am talking about people who have demonstrated a caring attitude toward me and also trusted me enough as to stand up for me whether or not that action incurred the displeasure of those of their own kith and kin, affiliates or associates.
I see these individuals as unique expressions of God’s love. They are people with the eyes and hearts of Spirit capable of seeing beyond physical appearances.
What else could be more heartwarming than knowing that there are strangers out there who don’t need to profit from you or have to feel good about how you look in order to be nice to you? What could make one’s spirit go sky-rocketing than being around people with whom they don’t have to feel insecure for any reason?
Well, there are two sides of every coin. And not so surprisingly, there have been some individuals also in my life who, for reasons known only to themselves and, perhaps, the Omniscient God, have chosen to be on the other side of my personal coin. Some of them have displayed inexplicable meanness and malice toward me, even to the extent of perpetrating unrighteous acts – acts that were harmful and destructive.
However, I still thank God for their presence in my life for they have given me a reason to treasure dearly and appreciate greatly the people in my life that make a big difference, the ones that have chosen to be on the brighter side of my coin with their kindness and friendliness.
What we often fail to realize is that, it is as natural to love as it is to hate. Some people must love, and others must naturally hate. It is life’s own way of maintaining equilibrium, a kind of balancing of the equation. There are also those who will dislike you but will profess to be friendly simply for personal gain. Whether we like it or not, we have to accept it as part of life and not have to worry unnecessarily about it.
In every situation and for every relationship, we must be thankful to God, particularly for the presence of people in our lives who have been very special. For they are God’s way of sharing His life with us on earth.