As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States, my thoughts turn to gratitude – gratitude for the people in my life and in the world around me. Though we come from different backgrounds, have different personalities, and play different roles, at our core we share a common humanity. We all want to love, to be loved, to use our talents, to provide for ourselves and our families, and to leave the world a little bit better than we found it. 

Our diversity is what makes the human experience so rich and colorful. We need leaders and teachers, builders and healers, creators and caretakers. The talents of one group complement the talents of another to form a beautifully interdependent whole. Society functions best when we recognize the worth in all people and utilize our diverse skills in service of common goals. 

I’m thankful for the leaders who devote themselves to bettering their communities through improving education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and more. I am also grateful for the teachers who shape young minds; nurses and doctors who heal; the scientists and engineers who innovate new technologies; the farmers, grocers, and truck drivers who make sure we have food on our tables; the sanitation workers who maintain infrastructure so the rest of us can live comfortably; the craft people who build our homes and workplaces; and the artists and performers who bring beauty and entertainment into our lives. Behind the scenes are the office administrators, HR professionals, sales representatives, financial analysts, police officers, delivery drivers, maintenance technicians, and so many others who keep the world humming. 

Even those we perceive as opposites play important roles in our expansion. Overcoming adversity often leads to growth, innovation, and progress. Debates and differences of opinion can clarify truth. Darkness makes the stars shine brighter. Through open and respectful communication, we can gain understanding of opposing views and find common ground.  

Progress marches on, sometimes in leaps and bounds, other times inch by inch. As I reflect on 2023 despite a year that held great unrest, I witnessed many reasons to hope. I saw people united across differences to provide disaster relief and humanitarian aid globally. I watched young people speaking passionately for the rights of the oppressed and stewardship of the planet they’ve inherited. Quietly but steadily, more individuals and organizations demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.  

For all this and so much more, I am grateful. I am grateful for the 7.5 billion unique souls that make up the human race in all our diversity, talents, dreams and creative potential. I am grateful that despite darkness in the world, the light still manages to find a way through the cracks. I am grateful to be alive at this point in history where, thanks to technology, more avenues exist than ever before for ordinary people to raise our voices, share our stories, and participate collaboratively in shaping society.  

What are you grateful for as 2023 comes to a close and 2024 dawns new? What hopes do you have for greater unity, equality, and understanding between all people across lines of politics, nationality, race, gender, religion, and more? How can we each use our own talents and opportunities to create bridges and bring more light into the world, moving ever closer towards the ideals brought forward by great thinkers?

I invite you to hold this vision with me: one day future generations may look back on the early 21st century as the inflection point when we truly began rising to meet the great challenges of our times, together. Until then, progress starts with the seemingly small, but incredibly meaningful act of giving thanks.