I’m starting to feel bugged by the word “blessed.” The way it’s used more and more seems to imply that people who are lucky to escape harm are “blessed”…which also implies that people who experienced that harm were cursed. That’s the flip side everybody ignores. It’s a backdoor way of blaming the victim. God must be punishing these people who suffer, and clearly God loves me better than them, so I must be a better person than they are.

Life is chaotic and dangerous, and more so all the time, thanks to the actions of humanity and not any supreme being. We can be grateful for our own well-being without claiming we earned it by being especially virtuous, or having been “blessed.” Those of us who are doing okay are mostly just lucky, to be born where and when we were, to the families we have, and with the gifts bestowed by our genes and upbringing.

This word “blessed” is especially beloved of broadcast news reporters, who feed the word to people who have just survived a fire or flood and are bewildered by trying to understand why they lived and their neighbors didn’t. I would like to see people just acknowledge their gratitude for their good luck and not have to tie it to morality or religion. Even at Christmas. Don’t take credit for any mercy you have been shown. Just love, and show mercy to others who have not had your good luck.

Here’s a suggestion: instead of bragging about being “blessed,” live so that you’re a blessing to other people.