On October 3rd 1863 President Abraham Lincoln signed the proclamation making Thanksgiving a national holiday. Sarah Hale, editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book, had been writing presidents with this request for fifteen years. Little did either of them know that they were furthering people’s happiness by establishing this special day. Research studies cited by Robert Emmons in his book Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier shows that thinking about being thankful can raise happiness levels by 25%. Happiness is increased even more when you make a list of things you are thankful for.
So here is my list:
- I am thankful that there is no fracking yet allowed in New York State.
- I am thankful that my air is still clean.
- I am thankful that my delicious, pure spring water is still delicious and pure.
- I am thankful that there is no noise and no huge trucks on the road by my house.
- I am thankful that there are no LNG trucks going by that might go off the road and explode.
- I am thankful for the wildlife that is undisturbed by the industrial process of gas drilling.
- I am thankful for all the people who have
- called Cuomo and our politicians
- gone to protests
- campaigned for anti-fracking candidates
- organized meetings and events
- given workshops
- signed petitions
- done research studies
- voted bans in their towns
- who have taken videos and written songs
- confronted gas company executives
- written letters to their town, their newspaper and to government officials
- told the pollsters no way do we want fracking in New York
- stood up and spoke out at town board meetings
A BIG Thank You to YOU!
What are you thankful for?
Concerned Citizens of Rural Broome 