ERIC BUTTERWORTH PAPERS (3014)
BOX 18 FOLDER 36
THE THERAPY OF THANKFULNESS
NOVEMBER 21.1982
.THIS COMING THURSDAY IS THANKSGIVING DSY...A I LEGAL HOLIDAY^..TIME OFF WORK/BUT THERE IS NO (SPECIAL LEGACIY THAT ACCRUES TO US BY REASON OF BEING ALIVE ON NOVEMBER 25TH. IT WILL BEA / A DAY LIKE EVERY OTHER DAY. THE SUN WILL RISE I AS USUAL...AND AS USUAL, WE MAY NOT EVEN NOTICE IT.
/.WE MAY GA4THER WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILIY IN |A FESTIBE EXPERIENCE OF WHAT flBUN S. COBBl I USED TO CAUL, 'THE ROYaTl GORGEBUT I WONDER, { WILL THE TENOR OF CONVERSATION REVEAL ANYSTHING SPECIAL IN HONOR OF tfHE HOLIDAY!.
>A| LITTLE GIRL ACCOMPANIED HER JtDTHER ON AN AFTERNOON WITH THE LADflES OF SHE SEWING CIRCLE...ON THE WAY HOME THE LITTLE GIRL SAID, 'MOMMIE, NEXT TIME WE GO SOMEWHERE, LET'S GO WHERE THEY WSBA TALK HAfEYl'
BRIDGE CLUB CH1ITER, CYNICAL CONVERSATION, CRITICAL GOSSIP, CAUSTIC* COMMENTS...REFLECTING THE DREARIEST KINtyt)F THOUGHTS.. .AND IT ALL OFFENDED HHE SENSIBILITIES OF TgHE LITTLE GIRL.
*J|ONE PERSON SAID -X 'DON'T TELL MF I MUST SIT nAROUND AND COUNlT MY BLESSINGS...BECAUSE THERE VABE PALTRY FEW THIS YEAR.'
MWffis TS1 SlLsa ISuBI sunderstand «t
(360 YEARS A SO, THE PILGRIMS SAT AT THE TABLE WlfTH THE INDIANS IN THAT FIRST AMERICAN THANSS-61VING FEAST. BUT THEY HAlD LITTLE FOOD ON THE TABLE AND RR8ECI0US LITTLE IN THEIR BARNS - WITH PROSPECTS OF A HARD WINTER AHEAD...AND THE MEMORY GREAT SUFFERING BE0IND THEM.
SO, IF YOU ARE WONDER I NIG WHAT YOU HAVE TO GIVE SHANKS FOR?,	THE PILGRIMS HAD LITTLE TO GIVE
THANKS F£R. TURN THE QUESTION AROUND*; 'WHST DID THEY HAVE TO GIVE THANKS F£2fcl?' THEY WERE GIVING THAfNKS FROM THE CONVICTION OF THE GOODNESS AND ALL-SUFFICIENCY OIT GOD. THIS FAITH BROUGHT THEM TO AMERICA...AND WOULD* SUSTAIN THEM IN EIHE YEARS AHE/ED.t
WHAT DO YOU HAVE* TO GIVE THANKS FROM? IT IS THE CALL TO TUlfcN WITHIN AND ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR* ONENESS WITH HUE DIV]NE FLOW, NO MATTER WHfAT APPEARANCES MAY SAY TO TIHE CONTRARY. THANKSGIVING IS A CALL TO ACKNOWLEDGE (DHE PRINCIPLE OF THE ALLNESS Off GOD AND THRILL-SUFFICIENCY OF SUBSTANCE.
[THANKSGIVING IS NOT A VIRTUE FOR WHICH YOU GET BROWNIE POINTS. IVlS ALTITUDE THAT LIFTS KOU TO THE HIGH65T LEVEL OF* CONSCIOUSNESS WHICH IN TURN ENABLVES YOU TO EXPERIENCE THE HIGHEST KIND OF LIFE.
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'feiATQl - 'HE ENJOYS MUCH WHO IS THANKFUL. A GRATEFUL MIND IS A GREAT MIND WHICH EVENTUALLY 'ATTRffiTS TO ITSELF GREIAT THINGS.'
YOU SEE, YOU! DO NOT NFFO TCL HAVE THI MRS FOP
jWHJCH TO BE GRATEFUL. THE GRATEFUL PERSON IS GREAT BECAUSE HE HAS TURNED THE LIGHTS ON IN HIMSELF. WHEN WE DO GIVE THANKS WE RADIATE LIGHT rTO~SEE THINGS FORI WHICH WE CAN BE GRATEFUL*.
YHftT XRIIF ORFATNF<^
ECIATF IMF noon IM PFOPIF ^Mfl
OBVIOUSLY, THANKSGIVING IS NOT A DJI3T ON WHICH
/YOU DO CERTAIN THINGS, BUT A CERTAIN WAY YO?U
DEAL WITH ALL THINGS ON EVERY DA?Y. AS WITH EVERYTHING f1>HAW WE CONSIDER IN TRUTH, ITS OILS DOOM Tit) 'ATTITUDES'.
COMES
ST OF MUSIC AND RINGS ITSELF ALL DAY
ROUGH -
ND* THOU SHALT MACKE OF IT A 'E-MARCF
WILT.
hXtffr*
WE ALWAYS HA3IE THAT CHOI OF' WE CAN ENGAGCE IN
/I THANK-WINKING...OR IN LAMENTATION. HOW iE *
I THINK WILL DETERMINE HOW THINGS WILL UNFOLD FOR
US. WITHOUT THANK-THINKING WE BECO0E LITTLE
(PEOPLE, WITH LITTLE KINDS, LEADING LITTLE.
5 INCONSEQUENTIAL LIVES.	‘

AIT HAS BEEN SAID, "NOTHING FORETELLS THE FUTURE fllKE THOUGHTS OVER WHICH WE BROOD! TO BROOD OVER IS TO HATCH OUT. THUS, BE CAREFUL THINK ONLY THOSE IMXNfiS THOUGHTS THAT YOU WANT •TO SEE MANIFEST IN YOUR LIFE. WHAT FEARS AND! WORRIES ARE YOUf BROODING OVER? HOW MUCH BETTER TO ENGAGE IN THAINK-THINKING.
/JTOMAN FOREVER COMMISERATING OVER HER TROUBLES.
'I DON'T SEE IT THAT WAY, WHEN THE LORD SENDS 1 ME ’W»Lfsr, IT IS MY DUTY TO TRIBULATE.1
SO MANY PERSONS GET ON THE TRIBULATION ROIIFR-COASTER, ACTING FOR ALL THE WORLD AS IF WE ARE LIVING IN THE WOtilST PERI OfD IN HISTORY.
/WHENEVER SOMEONE REMARKS, ’WHATk A TERRIBLE WORLD THIS IS." I LIKE TO REPLY, 'COMPARSED TO" WHAT?' Tr IS (p WORLD, THE ONLY* ONL BE HAVE. OH, IT IS A CHANGING WORLDS, BUT SO IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN. OH, THERE AftfEtCHALLENGES EVERYWHERE, BUT EACH OF US MUST DECIDE IF WE ARE GOING T8« BE ON »HE SIDE OF THE PROBLEMS, OR
ON
SOLUTI
NOW, LET'S BE CERTAIN THAB IN OBSERVING THANKSGIVING, WE ACRE NOT* JUST'TI^INGGAMES/l T IS ‘NOT A MATTER OF TAKING ONE t(AY T6 $I|Jg OUR
GOD.
ISN'T THE LEAST BIT MOVED BEALLY. ITS MAKES NO DIFFERENCE
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TO GOD WHETHER YOU THANf< np MnT WHY SHOULD
WE OIVF OUR THANKS TO GOD AT ALL? ECKHARTff-
CMN’T _
H^-i p himrfi F ' YOU COULD SPEND ONE WHOLE DAlY OFI CONSTANT PRAISE AND* THNNKSGIVING TO GOD OUT« OF A SENSE OF OBLIGATION...AND NEVER EXPERIENCE A THANK-FILLED CONSCIOUSNESS. GOD IS NOT A
TO THANK AND PRAISE. BUT A ERESENCB IN WHICH YOU LIVE AND ON WHICH TO BUILD A POSITIVE ND CREATIVE LIFE.
THNNKSGIVING HBtIT A CAUSATIVE FORCE. IT IS A WAY OF GETTjjjjL
YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS .1
I EMERSON^
ATKIN OF
1THF FACTS OF LIFE FROM 1THF HIGHEST POINT OF
Vi£.W.' IF YOU CAN GET A VIEW FROM HIGH ENOUGH UP AND SEE FROM THE PERSPECTI8E OF> WHOLENESS,
YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DEAL EASILY AIND EFFICIENTLY' WITH LIFE.
RFUL MAN I ONCE KNEW, W0f LIVED *T THE FOCtT OF A* HILL. AT THE CLOSE OF EVERY DAY HE WOULD CLIMB UP TO HIS FAVORITE PERCH, OSTENSIBLY FOR EXERCISED TO SEE THE SUNSET...BUT REALLY TO DO SOME THANK-ITHINKING, TO GET_HIS THOUGHTS SORTED OUT. HE WOULD HAVE* A CRjATIQUE OF HIS DAY - IN THE ABISTOtTELEAN SENSE_OF
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- LOOKING FOR THE GOODy LITERALLY LET EIHE SUN NOT GO DOWN ON YOUR WRATH' - ROOT OUT HURTS, WORRY, BEGAT IVITY - RfiSOOItB THEM ALL INfTO GOOD BY 'THANK-THINKING.'
THANK-THINKING IS OSE OID THE MOST POWERFULL OF HEALINfc THERAPIES. ’
CL J- CRONIN! TELLS OF A DOCTOR IN SOUTH WALES WHO PRESCRIBED WHAT HE CALLED A 'THANK-YOU' CURE IN CERTAIN CASES. WHEN A PATflERT CAME TO HIM DISCOURAGED, BLUE, AND FULL OF WOES,
AND YET WITHOUT S?YMPHMS OF ANYTH IG PHYSICAKLY WRONG, THE DOCTOR WOULDS WRITE OUT ON A PRESCRIPTION PADS"
FOR SIX WEEKS SAY 'THANK-YOU' WHENEVER ANYONE
DOES YOU A FAVOR. AND TO SHOW YOU MEAN IT. 8"EMPHASIZE EHE WORDS WITH A SMILF THE PAT IEHT WOULD INVARIABLY RETURN IN SIX WEEKS WITH A NEW OUTLOOK, FREE FROM THE SEBSE OF UNHAPPINESS THAT STEMMED FROM A CONVICTION THAT iPEOBLE WERE OPPOSED TO HIM.*..AND INCIDENTALLY, WITH THE MYSTERIOUS PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS GOHE.TSo.
NOW, LET'S GET OBE POINT CLEAR - WE ARE NOT* SAYING THAT YOU* SHOULD SIMPLY JO BE GRATEFUL TO Tiff TO BF IS.NOT TO BE. IT IS A YOURSELF AT THE ROOT OF YOUR BEING, WHERE YOU > ARE FILLED WITH THE ESSENCE OF GREATNESS.
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AT THIS 'STILL POINT' WITHIN YOU THANKSGIVING IS THE LANGUAGE OF fJTHE SOUL. ANYTHING LESS TltlAN* AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE IS A FRUSTRATION OF THE CREATIVE FLOW.
SHAKESBPEAffcE SIBflS THAT THE'WINTER'S WIND IS NOT AS UNKIND AS MAN’S INGRATITUDIE.'
ONE WHO HAS A THANKLESS HEART IS USUALLY COLD, UfNHAPPY, AND DISLIKED 1EBRSON.
VTHERE IS SOMETHING UGI Y ABOUT INfiRiTITIinF ^A BUSINESS MAN, ON HIS WAY TO HIS OFFICE, ALW/BTS ERXKKX GREETED AN OLD MAN WHO «STOOD ON THE CORNER SELLING SHOE LACES. OSCE OR flWICE A WEEK BfOR MANY YEARS THE MAN WOULD STOP AND GIVE THE OLD FELLOW A QUARTER, BUT WOULD NE?VER TAKE THE SHOE LACES. 08E DAY HE MADE HIS USUAL GIFT OF A QUARTER, AND THE SH0E-LA6E SALESMAN
SAID, ’I’M SORRY SIR
GOSE UP TO 40 CFNTS.’
THERE IS AN INTERESTING ACCOUNT IN JOHN 7 'AND IHEY WENT EVERY MAN INTO HIS OWN HOUSE,
BUT JESUS WENT UNTO THE MOUNT OF OLIVES.' I USED TO READ THIS WITH PITY. SEEING THE DISCIPLES GREETED BY THEIR FAMILIES ASTER A HARD DAY DISCIPLING, HAVING A SAVORY MEALf, A RELAXED EVENING FOLLOWEDt BY A NIGHTOF REST IN A COMFORTXiBLE JBED. JESUS ATLONE...NO PLACE TO GO.
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how wbdng: the disciples may bIe tossing
FITFULLY/BUT JESUS «£fel A MOUNTAIN FOR A PILLOW, GETTING HIS 'THANKSGIVING' PERSPECTIVE. LATER WHEXN HE DEMONSTRATED MIRA?CLE-WORKING POWER, IT DIDN'T JUST HATPPEN^LIKE A GREAT MUSICAL ARTIST ON THIS STAGE, THE VIRTUOSO PERFORMAHBE IS THE RESULT OF A LIFE-TSIME OF COMMITME/Kf AND PRACTICE AND DISCIPLINE.
WE NEED TO KEEP THIS IN MIND WHEN READING THE STORY OF RAISING LAZARUS FRfIM THF OFAnt. AND
THE FEEDING OF 5.000 PEOPLE FROtM ONE BOY'S LUNCH 'HE LIFTED UP HIS EYES AND GAVE THANKS.'
THE PEOPLE PRSOBfABLY WODERED WHAT THERE WAS TO GIVE THANKS FOR? HE WAS GIVING THANKS £R£ffi AN AWARENESS OF TfflE DIVINE FLOW - GIVING WAY TO ITS EXPRESSION.
/THERE IS AN OLD SAYING - A DONKEY MAY CARRY A
LOAD OF PRECIDUfS SANDALWOOD AND SEVER KNOW ITS
PRECIOfUSNESS...ONLY ITS WEIGHT. IN THE SAME
SENSE, MA?NY PERSONS GO THROUGH LIFE UNDER THE
HEAVY WEIGHT OF DIFFICULT CIRCUlMSTANCES, NEVER
KNOWING fHE PRECIOUS NAYTURE OF LIFE, OR THE
GREAT HIDDEN POTEST IAL WITH^THEM. NOT KNOWING
THEIR ILLNESSS IS OBSCURING AN INNATE ALLNESS,
fHEY GO ALONG IN At CHRONIC NEGATIVE ATTITUDE
HEADS /BOWED DOWN, EYES ON THE GROUND...THEY NEED TO LOOK UP.
• •
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SOME PE?RSONS MA?Y DO GREAT THINGS, OTHERS MAY HAVE ffiOOD HEALTH OR RICH POSSESS 1084- AND THEY m SEEM TO HAVE GOOD* REASON FOR THANKSGIVING.
BUT IF YOU CAN GET A HIGH-EEVEL PERSPECTIVE, YOU CAN APPRECIATE GREAT THINGS...AND BECOME GREAT BJ. BEING GRATEFUL. YOU CAN CELEBRATE THE ABUNDANCE •THAT IS EVERYWHERE, NO MATTER WHOSE LIFE IT MAY APPESR IN.
PERHA8S YOU CAN'T PAINU OR CARVE OR SEW OR COMPOSE MUSIC OR PLAY AN INSTRUMENT. BUT YOU CAN CELEBRATE IT WHEREVER YOU StEE IT, AND*
BECOME GREAT BY BEING GRATEFUL IT IS MY CON-VCICTION THAT IT IS EQUALLY CREATIVE TO APPRECIATE A GREAT WORK AS TO CDEATE THE WORK YOURSELF.
_ HAVE AN EXPERIECE OF CREATIVE UPLIFT. WALK T*HROUGH A GALLERY OF ART AND LET IT ALL HAPPEN TS YOU IN D8EP ABPRECIATION. BE THANKFUL...AND IT WILL BE A HEALING EXPERIENCE TO YOUf.____________
WHENEVER YOU G®T *THE THANKSGIVING PERSPECTIVE. THE,VIEW FROM THE TOB. ToiTwILL BE FTLLED WITH A SE8SE OF THE GREATNESS <8T GOn THAT IS PBFSruit AND LNJHAT ATTITUDE YOUI BECOME, GREAT. AND GREAT THINGS FOLLOW 46REAT THOUGHTS THAT COME FROM A GRATEFUL HEART.
BECOME A DEDICATED THANK-THINKER. IT WILL CERtT TSINLY GIVE Y*B MEANING TO YOUR THANKSGIVING.