What to be thankful for

I have a hard time this year to thank anyone other than the voters who elected our new President. I am looking forward to a brighter future. Other than that my heart is heavy. Is it because I almost stopped reading the book "Slavery by Another Name", by Douglas A. Blackmon?

The first third of the book describes a part of United States history I had not been aware of. It describes story after story how blacks in the South after the Civil War were incarcerated for crimes they didn't commit. They were given a fine. Then a plantation owner would pay the fine for which the black convict then had to work for many months.

I am still reading the book because history changed in 1904 with a new President. Apparently when Theodore Roosevelt became President, he started investigating the abuses of blacks in the South, and there then was hope. I am now looking forward to read on. So, there is hope.

My heart wants to believe in the strength of the people to buck the trend of complacency. But my head looks at the situation and is still full of worry. This country needs to wake up. Rip van Winkle is a man of the past. I hope each of us keeps believing in inner strength. I hope there is compassion. So I give thanks to hope!