The Wisdom of Ecclesiastes: A Life of Gratitude

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy upon humankind: those to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that they lack nothing of all that they desire, yet God does not enable them to enjoy these things, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous ill. A man may beget a hundred children, and live many years; but however many are the days of his years, if he does not enjoy life’s good things, or has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. For it comes into vanity and goes into darkness, and in darkness its name is covered; moreover it has not seen the sun or known anything; yet it finds rest rather than he. Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to one place?
All human toil is for the mouth, yet the appetite is not satisfied. For what advantage have the wise over fools? And what do the poor have who know how to conduct themselves before the living? Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what human beings are, and that they are not able to dispute with those who are stronger. The more words, the more vanity, so how is one the better? For who knows what is good for mortals while they live the few days of their vain life, which they pass like a shadow? For who can tell them what will be after them under the sun? ~Ecclesiastes 6

Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson


This chapter begins to border on the esoteric and abstract, doesn't it?
Yet the message as you parse it out remains on point to what we've already seen: enjoy what you have now because the future may not be as amenable to the enjoyment of it! 
Because, well, all is vapor...
I'm sure you see this a thousand times a week in your own life and the life of those around you.
Opportunities missed. Relationships not developed.
iPhone connections rather than face to face connections!
The one I am personally guilty of: shoving something in my mouth while standing in the panty because I'm in a hurry, rather than sitting down and enjoying the food I am fortunate enough to have.
Have you ever been with someone who takes each moment as a blessing? Holds each thing in their life with gratitude?
I have been lucky enough to visit Tanzania several times in my life, and the visits I've had with the Maasai people have been a humbling lesson. Their diet is sparse and simple. They use and do not waste virtually any part of the cow which is the most important part of their diet.
Their homes are made even out of cow dung - and yet, as I sat in one of them, I was treated to a kind of hospitality that is rare. There was not a part of their life in that small compound that was not fully lived, enjoyed, shared, and made the most of. They were positively bursting at the seams to share it with us.
There will be a moment today that you will want to live and feel fully. A moment that you will want to share with others.
So do! Share! Live!

Thank you Lord for this life and help me to live it fully and with abandon! Amen

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