Allow Love to Make Thanksgiving Day a Blessing to Be Truly Grateful For

There is photo that has recently gone viral on the internet. The photo shows two Middle Eastern men. The two men are holding individual small signs in their hands. The man on the left has a sign that says “I’m Jewish and I’m from Israel,” and the man on the right has a sign that says “I’m Muslim and I’m from Palestine.” Together both men are holding a larger sign that says “Why can’t we all just get along.” And there’s a peace symbol at the top of the large sign.

After studying the photo, I thought about how easy it would be to substitute so many other words onto their small signs. Instead of saying “I’m Muslim” and “I’m Jewish,” the small signs could also say "I'm White” and “I'm Black”-- Why can't we all just get along." Or they could say "I'm Gay,” “I'm Straight." Or "I'm American,” “I'm Iranian." Or "I'm Democrat,” “I'm Republican."—“Why can’t we all just get along.”

The list could go on and on. There are so many different kinds of people in this world and there is so much fear and prejudice; and it all needs to come to an end. Essentially, we are all in this world, in this life, together. So let’s take time to honorably agree to disagree. Let's acknowledge our differences. They’re real. Sometimes they’re important and sometimes not. But let's also choose to love and respect each other despite all of our differences.

It’s time we all said “Enough is enough.” We need to change our focus. Let's be grateful by being focused on what we have in common in this life. It’s time we all put our fears aside and joined hands in love—of self, of family, of friend, of neighbor, of enemy and of our Higher Power. And what better day to do so than Thanksgiving Day?

I hope everyone who reads this makes the choice to free themselves from fear, prejudice, resentment and hatred this Thanksgiving Day. And I hope that we all will then allow the one true Universal Love to fill us with the greatest of all compassion and gratitude. As the sign in the photo says, it’s time that we all just got along with each other. And consciously choosing to be united in love on this Thanksgiving Day is a blessing to be truly thankful for—today and always.