The Acceptable Time To Kneel

Unlike the recent diminishing phase (we hope) where some professional football players (each awash in money thanks to our government’s capitalist free enterprise system), oh, and one, late in the game, NFL cheerleader, all of whom chose to kneel, some repeatedly, during our National Anthem, in a show of disrespect for our flag, our nation, and our military (the latter whose sacrifices have keep our great homeland secure and free, and, tellingly, with apparent disregard or naïve unawareness, the role all of the above have played in their paychecks!), thanks, then, to all of that nationally displayed resentment over perceived evil, kneeling had clearly been given a bad name.

Thankfully most of those ungrateful, counter-productive gestures, insulting to our country and our patriotic traditions, have now either passed on, or simply become less ‘cool,’ although NFL attendance and network viewing has residually-suffered, due to offended fans who have also exercised their freedom, by protesting-in-kind, with both decreased game attendance, and with the at-home power of their TV remotes.

While those pre-game antics have now hopefully passed, as sincere for some minds, as they were totally out of place for most, the ultimate acceptable and appropriate time for kneeling is now upon us.  Well, actually, anytime is appropriate, but Thanksgiving Day, even more so.  Today is the right time and opportunity to kneel, if only figuratively, to give heartfelt thanks to our Creator for the abundant blessings bestowed upon our lives, and with no blessing greater than that of living in a nation of freedom, individual and national, and one that offers all Americans such unlimited opportunities (if we are wise enough to recognize, and work hard, toward them).

And we give thanks to God above for good health; for companionship; for friends; for the unconditional love of pets; the opportunity and freedom for personal responsibility that enables us to provide for ourselves and family; the blessing of a strong military, committed to our security; and without question, the gift of an exceptionally wise, strong, action-achieving President; as well as for all of the untold additional heavenly gifts, already provided or yet to be revealed.  And thanks be to God for being the true and only source of eternal power, compassion, and solutions, always there, and ready for us to turn to, when we perceive or experience the gaps that may seem to occur in the fulfillment of those hoped-for blessings and dreams.

Yes, today, is the acceptable day and time to kneel, once again, if only figuratively, to offer our sincere prayer of thanksgiving to God for the countless blessings given to us, realized and unrealized, each and every moment of the day.  And thankful are we for the incredible blessing of living in this exceptional land of opportunity, where every day we are gifted with the ability, to breathe, and to cherish, the fresh air of freedom.