dean's note

Giving Thanks in Challenging, Uncertain Times

Reflections on gratitude in this moment.

As our community looks ahead to Thanksgiving break and all it brings—rest, time with loved ones, the start of the holiday season—I wanted to take a moment to reflect on giving thanks. This moment is, in many ways, one in which our feelings of gratitude may be complicated by our frustrations with the state of a troubled world. We are living in an uncivil time. The US federal election was a time of much rancor; its outcome suggests—if past is prologue—that this rancor will continue in the coming years. Conflict in our public debate intersects with the many global conflicts which remain ongoing, with threats to the international order making this moment uncertain indeed. All of this poses a challenge for the structures that generate health. War, partisanship, racism and misogyny, and other such forces contribute to the poor health around us, deepening the inequities that create a world of health haves and have-nots.

Given this incivility, this uncertainty, it may seem like a difficult time to give thanks. We look around and see much we wish were different and gratitude for what is good competes with disappointment at how far we remain from a world that is fully healthy. Yet it is at just such times when gratitude is most necessary, and—if we are willing to look closer at the moment—most apt. The truth is that we have much for which to be thankful, and that for which we should be most thankful—the people in our lives and our shared purpose in pursuit of a healthier world—is in fact what is most essential to navigating this moment and making it better. Gratitude helps us to see this, to remember what is most important. It is in times of challenge that we have even more reason to give thanks, recognizing that what we most value may also be what the world, in these moments, most needs—communities committed to building a better future. 

I would like then, if I may, to offer thanks for three aspects of our work together for which I feel immense gratitude. 

A first, central reason for gratitude lies with what is most important in life: the people around us. As individuals, we all have friends, family, and acquaintances whose presence enriches our lives, providing meaning, comfort, and support. As long as we can recognize this, as long as we can fully appreciate the people around us, we will always have good reason to give thanks. This is particularly true in times of challenge, when the presence of friends and loved ones is more necessary, more welcome, than ever. But we are more than individuals. We are also part of communities. At the School, we have each day the privilege of joining valued colleagues in our shared pursuit of a healthier world. We celebrate together in times of success, and we support each other in times of disappointment. Some have been part of this community for a long time, and some have joined it only recently.  All contribute their unique perspectives and experiences, making our community richer, better. This is cause for thanks indeed. 

Second, communities cohere because they share a common purpose. It may may be the bonds of love and affection shared by family and friends. Or it may be a mission, a shared recognition that something needs doing and that we have a responsibility to do it. At the School, we share such a recognition. It is our common mission to build a healthier world that offers much reason to be thankful. We see the many ways the world is not as healthy as it should be and we commit ourselves, collectively, to the work of making it healthier. It is a privilege to be able to share this purpose. Purpose anchors us to each other, to a common, worthwhile goal, and to the practical steps that help get us to this goal. Purpose means that we never have to look far to find something useful to do or someone with whom to do it. Purpose gives definition to our days. This is particularly welcome in times of challenge, when it can be hard to know what to do in the face of setbacks and disappointment. In such moments, we can look to our shared purpose and waste no time in redoubling our efforts to build the world we wish to see. 

Third, we are fortunate that the animating principle of our work is our responsibility to help others. Religious and philosophical traditions have long taught that the best way to help ourselves is to help others, and that when we feel most troubled, when the world weighs most heavily on us, we should look to those who are in even more trouble and do what we can to assist them. This is core to living an ethical life and it is core to the work of public health. It is a privilege to be part of a school community, and a field, that is centrally committed to such work, a privilege for which I am deeply thankful.

As we look ahead to Thanksgiving, then, I would like to take this opportunity to give thanks for the chance to be part of this public health community, to be in a position to work towards a better world in the company of outstanding colleagues and friends. Despite challenges and setbacks, opportunities abound for us to continue our work in this moment, to write and speak in support of health, to advocate for the policies that support a healthier world, and to make a difference at the local, national, and global level. I look forward to continuing this work in the coming months and years. For now, I wish each member of our community a restful and restorative break. Thank you for all you do.

Warmly,

Sandro

Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH
Dean and Robert A. Knox Professor
Boston University School of Public Health

Previous Dean’s Notes are archived at: http://www.bu.edu/sph/tag/deans-note/