Gratitude in the Messy Middle

Dear Cal Lutheran Community,

The Thanksgiving holiday is upon us. This means that many of us will be traveling to visit with family and friends; preparing a meal that brings and keeps loved ones to the table; rooting for our favorite teams; and reflecting on the people, places, and things for which we are grateful. Perhaps more than ever, this season calls us to lean into the Lutheran values of grace, generosity, service to neighbor, and inclusion — values we have talked a lot about over the last many months.  

As we usher in the holiday season, let’s remember that this time of year can be especially challenging for some. Anticipation about tackling end-of-semester assignments, preparing for finals, being personally or financially extended, or not being in a situation where family celebrations are possible or joyful can bring on feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. 

The beginning of this year’s season has been confounded by tragic events at the University of Idaho, the University of Virginia, and in Colorado Springs. Our hearts are with our fellow classmates, colleagues, and neighbors near and far who are feeling grief and despair. It seems not long ago that our own community mourned the loss of many promising young lives cut short by senseless violence. Standing with our neighbors, in spirit and through prayer or reflection, gives power to our own continued healing and to making the world a kinder place. 

As you juxtapose the bright and positive things in your life with the challenging realities that may be affecting you at this very moment, please know there are resources at Cal Lutheran available to you. A few include Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) which offers hybrid sessions, Campus Ministry which provides pastoral care and guidance, and the Employee Assistance Program which can connect staff and faculty members to a number of legal, counseling, and other types of services.

We often say at Cal Lutheran that most of life is lived in the messy middle. As we prepare for the holidays, let us find meaningful ways to reconcile the gratitude and grief that is in our collective midst right now. Let’s embody, this week and throughout the year, grace and gratitude. Let’s create a beloved community and cast a wide net so that everyone is included. I am thankful to all who are fostering such a community at this very moment and for all that you do throughout the year.

With gratitude,