Gratitude and Faith: Just Who Should We Be Grateful To?

A Fox News article about Thanksgiving reminded me of a key milestone in my faith journey.  The article reports that Maryland public school students are taught that the Pilgrims held the first Thanksgiving feast out of gratitude -- but not that they were grateful to God.

A number of years ago my wife and I went for a walk in the neighborhood.  This was at a time when I was skeptical about the existence of God.  Back then I thought I was probably an agnostic:  I felt that there might well be some kind of deity out there, but I didn't think humanity would ever be able to know, one way or another.

What I distinctly remember is looking up at an overhanging limb of a live-oak tree.  Suddenly, I was struck by the realization that I was profoundly grateful for the many blessings in my life, not least that I had life. 

And I wondered:  Exactly to whom should I be grateful?   Could one ever be grateful, without being grateful to someone? 

That question, and others like it -- plus a lot of encouragement and assistance from friends -- eventually helped me to realize that yes, we can in fact "know" with some assurance that there is a God.  (See How Do We Know There's a God for a more extended discussion.)

(Hat tip to commenter Dan+ at TitusOneNine.  And yes, I know the title is ungrammatical <g>.)