Gratitude

In one of the podcasts I listen to, the host said that he emphasizes the importance of gratitude. He teaches his young boys that if they are grateful for something, that they will always be humble and that will make them good men.

And then he challenged his listeners to report on what they are most grateful for. That got me thinking, and I think I found the single thing that I’m most grateful for.

Bedtime.

At the end of the day, when we lie down for sleep, I think about all of the things that are good in this world. And they all seem to coalesce at bedtime.

• We spend a significant portion of our lives in bed. So it should be comfortable, warm, and safe. Capitalism has created a competitive environment such that the most successful innovations will succeed. In the case of bedtime, this includes organic latex mattress pads, natural cotton sheets, and goose down comforters. These things didn’t just spring from the earth. They were created by people looking to solve problems for people and to make a buck. God bless them.
• Those sheets don’t clean themselves. I’m grateful to the long list of innovators that created the washer and dryer that, with the push of a button, will clean and dry the bedding without us having a second thought about it. In times past, people would spend half of their days washing clothes. The other half would be spent gathering food and cooking it.
• And the water that the washing machine uses comes from a well that was drilled down through 500 feet of granite by a machine that was specifically designed for such a purpose. The well drillers and the plumbers who gave us water stood on the shoulders of people who innovated their products and made possible the delivery of clean, plentiful water. Thank you!
• I’m grateful for the rule of law and the natural right to keep and bear arms that provides a confidence that I will be able to defend my family in the rare possibility of an attack.
• I’m grateful for our dogs who share our bed which, without a hundred generations of people domesticating them, would be wild wolves and be threats to us. Instead, they are loving and loyal, and yet still retain their ancient ability to attack anyone who is a threat to their family.
• I’m grateful for climate control. We have a geo-thermal system that takes water from the ground and extracts heat from it during the winter and cold from it during the summer. That’s insanely cool technology. It took thousands of people millions of hours to figure that out, and I appreciate each and every one of their efforts to create a comfortable night for us.
• I’m grateful for whiskey. How many generations of farmers, coppersmiths, distillers, and entrepreneurs did it take to create the nectar of the gods? Not to mention the infrastructure it takes to make bottles, fill them, put them on a ship in Scotland, and then on a truck, and then on the store shelves. Each step required people working in their own interest to make a buck, and I am grateful for each and every one of them. Thank you, all.

There was a time, maybe not more than a generation or two ago, when people didn’t have the luxury of a peaceful, comfortable bedtime. Even the kings and the most wealthy businessmen didn’t have the warmth, safety, and security the average person has in this time of capitalist prosperity.

To the millions of people, the innovators, the risk-takers, the workers, and those who have created the awesome, amazing society we have today, I thank you all for the safe, warm, peaceful bedtime you have created for us every night.