Pass On Thanks, Help and Faith—Yes, You Can

Several hundred years ago, when the first passengers of the “Mayflower” landed on the shores of the “New World” in their time of want and need, they received the generous help of native Indians. Later, on a harvest day, those immigrants gave thanks to the kind Indians and thereafter Thanksgiving Day has come into being.

It is a great story to tell, friends, but in deep contemplation, we may be able to identify the more important matter - the spirit of passing on thanks, help and faith - as others have done to you.

Never confined to western cultures alone, this spirit has been upheld as a universal belief beyond borders and time. It is no coincidence that an equivalent is found in traditional values among many eastern countries; for a long time the Chinese have talked about “be content and grateful for what you possess”, a value very much needed by the age of what we call modernization.

Be thankful for what you are proud of, friends, for underlying every pride are help and support from others. Pass them on, and convince others of the faith that what makes you different can also be acquired by others. Tell them, “Yes, You Can”.

Be thankful for your ordinary life, for without the work done and conveniences offered by others, even such a ‘plain life’, as you might put it, would be an unimaginable luxury. Reciprocate, friends, by passing on your thanks, help and faith in kind.

Be thankful, even for the troubles that once bothered you, for they are the source through which you attain the maturity which makes you what you are now. Say thanks to them, friends, and pass on the old faith that where there is a will there is a way.

And there are many other reasons, as you have realised, for you to thank others.
Maybe you have never thought about the fact that there are so many things people can easily take for granted. But it is never too late for a change. It is with this spirit, a spirit of thanks, help and faith, that Barack Obama wakes up his fellow Americans to pursue a great change for their nation. And with the same spirit,
you can seek change for yourself, and you will. “Yes, You Can”.

Celebrate the spirit, cherish it and pass it on, friends, “Yes, You Can”.