Jay-Z Wants You To Just Be Thankful

We can find ways to be thankful despite the madness that surrounds us

“Our external reality is an opportunity to heal our internal upset,

Let’s build a cathedral these evils couldn’t fuck with.” — Jay-Z, “ManyFacedGod”

Welcome back to another installment of what I’m hoping is becoming your favorite Medium column, “What Would Hov Do?”

If you’re just discovering, I’m Joel Leon. I write stuff. Every week, I tackle a user-submitted issue and dish out some heartfelt advice with the help of Jay-Z lyrics. It really is a win-win for errybody.

This week, I want to try something a little different. Post-Turkey Day festivities (shout out to the reclaim the land movement of Indigenous people), let’s use some Hov bars to talk about gratitude. We can find ways to be thankful despite the madness that surrounds us.

Some of us may have celebrated the holiday alone and may look toward a future where pending holidays will be more of the same. The year has pulled and twisted our hearts around, and we have all struggled with finding ways to show up for ourselves and others.

But maybe there’s some hope in Jay-Z lyrics from “ManyFacedGod,” the final bonus track off his 4:44 album. Rather than focusing on…