How do you, the reader, manage being thankful when there are so many problems (many of which our nation has directly or indirectly caused) that require our attention and necessitate our action and focus?”

By starting with myself. If I can’t be thankful of what I have, how can I know what needs to be done for others? Another is that God has commanded us to be thankful. That sounds srange, but He has. This is His world and not ours. Any blessing we might have, no matter how remote from hope, is because of His mercy. Sometimes we forget how big the World is and how small our place.

My answer for this encompasses not just the state of my heart on one day, but my actions and behaviors on every day. President Hinckley has counseled us to do the best we can. In reality, there is nothing more that we can do. I alleviate the suffering that I can. Part of that is keeping your heart open to those around you. (I highly recommend Virgina Pearce’s “A Heart Like His,” such a simple experiment that yields absolute paradigm-blowing results. Seriously. Really, it looks like fluff, but it’s not. It’s so not. This book will do more to bring you into a more Christlike mindset/mode than any other book aside from the scriptures.) When your heart is open to those around you, you are in a place to ask the Lord to make needs known to you. If it be His will, you will find yourself directed and prompted, giving you a stewardship to meet. I do my best to remain open to such, to act on such. That is what I can do, and I do my best at it.

When it comes to the actions of humans I never meet, but who have the right to ‘act in my name,’ well again, the answer is to do the best that you can. Several years ago, the weight of the actions of many of those in our government pushed me down greatly. Long story short, I blew a gasket and was ‘officially’ put on a ‘need to know’ basis about news and current events.

The second Article of Faith says that “we believe that men will be punished for their own sins…” So, where is my sin in regard to the actions of those leaders (whose choices beyond a certain point, neither I nor you are responsible for)? My accountability lies in doing the best that I can, exercising my vote and my voice. It lies in doing the best that I can to remain informed on the issues, drafting letters to legislators as needed, and voting according to my own best judgement when ballot time comes. When it comes to wartime ravaging, that is where it ends for me–citizen’s political activity, for that is the best that *I* can do. I am at liberty to become neither a lobbyist nor a politician, and so I do not have the power to do anything more. I do the best that I can with those avenues of influence that are available to me, and I keep an eye out for new ones, but in the end I have had to accept that that is all that I can do.

As for our indirect choices and their impact on our planet and our fellow man, it’s ok to live our life a touch or two off the ‘norm’ from what we’re presented on the assembly line that is American society. Vote with your dollars; don’t buy clothing or products manufactured in conjunction with human rights violations; clean your home with products that are not only better for you, but whose production yields less poison for our planet. Impart of your substance as the opportunity presents. Exercise your accountability by making choices that are not only good for you, but good on the whole. That is in your power, even if pushing around big corportaions directly is not.

You do the best you can with the power and influence that you are given. You also recognize the end of the reach of that power and influence, and do not short-change your efforts by tossing energy and resources at an ineffectual target beyond your reach.

Really, the answer is simple; do the best that you can. When that is done, you can rest assured.

Also: Concern or consternation over one problem does not erase feelings of gratitude from one’s heart. Even in the midst of pain and chaos, the Lord’s love is there and blessing are present, for which one can always feel thanks.

Does a position of gratitude, while so many others are suffering, indicate an irreverent sense of pride?

I suppose it depends on the nature of one’s gratitude. There is no pride in my gratitude. Gratitude, for me, is deep and humbling, a recognotion that the Lord giveth (all) and that He can taketh (it all) away. For someone who may see some badge of honor in what they have received, and puff themselves up therefrom, yeah, I’d say that’s irreverently prideful. In general, though, I hope that gratitude and pride are not inextricably linked for most.

Gratitude and sorrow can, and frankly should, live side-by-side in our hearts for the latter grows the former, gives it perspective and depth, offers the bitter to heighten the sweet.