Giving thanks while staying mindful

Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.

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From the Star Tribune Editorial Board on Thanksgiving Day 2023:

Be thankful simply for life, for the mystery of being, seeing, hearing, knowing. Gratitude, said G.K. Chesterton, is the highest form of thought. Be mindful that many labor under heavy burdens, visible and invisible.

Be thankful that for now, this country passes another year without war. Be mindful that others in the world are not so fortunate. May those working hard for a lasting and just peace between Israelis and Palestinians succeed.

Be thankful that the federal government declared an end of the COVID-19 pandemic's emergency phase this year — and that vaccines and treatments are widely available. Be mindful that the virus continues to circulate and that too few people have had an updated COVID booster — just 17% of the total U.S. population, according to federal health officials. Scheduling a shot soon can protect you and your family during the upcoming holiday season.

Be thankful for winter, a time to be contemplative, to read, to rest from the frenzy of summer and a bracing fall, to witness the wonder of an ordinary landscape turned snow-globe. Be mindful that some need extra help to endure this season's deep cold and ice, and be generous with donations.

Be thankful for new protections put in place by the Biden administration to ensure that future generations can enjoy a Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness unsullied by potential copper mining pollution. Be mindful that state-level protections are also imperative to guard this beloved watery wilderness against the risks posed by this new-to-Minnesota type of mining. The 2024 legislative session is an opportunity to take these vital next steps.

Be thankful for humanity, the living and the dead, and for your fellow human beings' ingenuity, productivity and unending dreams. From the smartphone in your pocket to the television set on which you'll watch today's football game, from the indoor plumbing and central heating that make the site of your gathering cozy, to the automobiles and aircraft that brought your loved ones together, our lives unfold amid countless unappreciated wonders of human creativity. Be mindful of the bitter truth that such marvels coexist with so much human cruelty and folly.

Be thankful for police officers who remain on the beat, amid a crisis of law enforcement staffing across the country, and notably in Minneapolis. Be mindful that dutiful public servants are not responsible for either other cops' unworthy deeds, which have worsened the recruiting slump, or for the carnage and chaos of street crime that makes a solution so urgent.

Be thankful for all first responders in Minnesota, ready anytime, every day — including on Thanksgiving. Be mindful of the challenging conditions they face.

Be thankful for mass transit, which provides a mostly reliable way to move around the Twin Cities without putting more cars on the roads. Be mindful that leaders of our light-rail system need to make public safety a priority as they try to rebuild trust and increase ridership.

Be thankful for the advances in weight-loss pharmacology that promise not just to soothe our vanities but improve our collective well-being through their additional effects on obesity-related disease. Be mindful that things done the easy way are likelier to unravel.

Be thankful for true friendship — the relationships that have withstood time and trial. Be mindful that others are still seeking this connection, and try to provide it for them.

Be thankful you can read this editorial. In our modern era, being able to read and write is routine, but in the past it was a skill few possessed. Be mindful of how this skill is cultivated today and how it might be done better.

Be thankful for the song that can bring joy to your day or remind you of days past. Be mindful that we need to fund arts in schools to support the budding artists and performers of tomorrow.

Be thankful for the technology that allows us to connect with loved ones across the globe when we can't be together. Be mindful that sometimes a phone call is no substitute for an in-person conversation and a good long hug.