Thanksgiving is again upon us, which to many, means good food, football, and some well-deserved time off from work. To others it is the lead in to the holiday shopping season with Black Friday’s mad rush for the best deals of the year. Originally, according to Wikipedia, Thanksgiving began across Europe as festivals to celebrate a bountiful harvest. Thereafter, from a traditional standpoint, we in the United States, have tied it to the Plymouth settlement and their appreciation to the Wampanoag Native Americans for help in surviving in the New World. President Lincoln, in 1863, established Thanksgiving as a nation-wide holiday on the final Thursday in November in an attempt to bring together a warring country. Later, in 1941, President Roosevelt established the holiday earlier, on the forth Thursday, in an attempt to stimulate the economy. Surprisingly, I have never tied Black Friday to FDR. Thanksgiving, however, should be a time to reflect on what God has provided and a opportunity to give thanks for our many blessings.
But what of these blessings? Many of us in this country are on hard times. Many of our family members, or ourselves, are without work or struggling to make ends meet. Times seem tougher now than ever before. But we are blessed with the ability to choose how we accept these challenges. We should still thank our God for what we do have. Father Steve added perspective to the elementary students at Holy Nativity’s weekly chapel service on Wednesday, and reminded them of some of the basics of why we should be thankful. 70% of the world’s population cannot read because they are unable to go to school. 80% of homes in the world don’t have running water, electricity, and indoor plumbing. And at least 50% of the world goes to bed hungry and has no clean water source to drink. If you have money in the bank, in your pocket, or in a jar on your dresser, you are in the wealthiest 8% of the world. 92% of the world is poorer financially. However, to many of them wealth is not measured in homes, food, or dollars but in relationships. Families are closer and relationships are more meaningful.
So as we gather together during the upcoming holidays, let us each take the time to remember from where we came and who brought us to where we are now. Let our family and friends know how much we appreciate them. We have a short time on this earth to live and love and be thankful for what we do have. Let’s all commit to being more thankful over this next year and focus on what we do have rather than what we don’t. I know we will be happier. Happy Thanksgiving.
Life is short, and we haven’t much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel with us. So let us be swift to love, and make haste to be kind, and the blessing of God almighty, be with you now and forever, Amen. [based on the words of Henri Frederic Amiel (1821-1881)]
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