Thanksgiving is a time to pause, express gratitude, and reflect on the values that unite us. This year, I want to honor the simple love that defines the American spirit.
To me, simple love is the care, compassion and concern we show for others without expecting anything in return. It’s through these small yet profound acts of kindness that our humanity shines, inspiring gratitude and joy in others. Reflecting on my journey, I am deeply grateful for the simple love I received as a child. Growing up in Champakara, a small village in Kerala, India, I was one of nine children in a humble family. In the 1970s, my family struggled to make ends meet, and each school day, I received a free meal that I remember to this day—the aroma, the taste and the warmth of it all. Little did I know then that this food came from the United States, a country extending its compassion across the globe to children like me in need.
The generosity of the American people became, quite literally, a lifesaver, filling me with a gratitude that has only deepened over time.
In 2003, I arrived in Monroe, Louisiana, carrying memories of that simple love I experienced as a child. Once again, I found that same spirit here in the U.S. In those early days, feeling homesick and missing my family, culture and familiar foods, I was embraced by a community that cared for me as their own. People from all walks of life helped me learn to speak with the right accent, taught me to drive, gifted me a vehicle, and offered countless other forms of guidance.
One woman, with a motherly heart, even took the time to learn how to cook meals from my homeland, feeding me weekly for years. This was simple love—kindness without expectation—and it transformed my experience, connecting me to my new community in profound ways.
As a new faculty member in Marriage and Family Therapy Programs at ULM Monroe, I feel the simple love of the faculty, staff and students at this wonderful university every day. As I grow more accustomed to the university culture, I am continually grateful for their warmth, support and encouragement. The mentoring and guidance from my colleagues and community in helping me become an efficient and effective educator exemplify, for me, the American way of simple love.
Today, as a citizen of this great country, I have the privilege of serving at the Renewal Center of Northeast Louisiana, formerly known as the Desiard Street Shelter. Here, I see simple love in action daily, as people offer food, clothing, shelter, healthcare and essential support to those in need. The volunteers and supporters are often unsung heroes—compassionate Samaritans who embody the heart of America. Their actions remind me, once again, of the generosity that makes this nation truly great.
As we gather this Thanksgiving, let us celebrate the simple love that defines us as a people. America is indeed a place where going the extra mile to help others is not an exception but a tradition. May we continue to cherish and nurture this spirit, and may God bless the United States. This Thanksgiving, let us honor our legacy of kindness, embodying the simple love that unites us all.
