A Return to Being Thankful this Thanksgiving

?Thanksgiving. The day of the year that is supposed to be all about thankfulness; the day that families come together and gorge themselves on turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, potato salad, deviled eggs, and a lot of other food that is actually inspiring hunger to write about. Families come together on this day to express their thankfulness in memory of the three day thanksgiving feast that was held at Plymouth by the pilgrims and the Native people that were here. But the question is, how thankful are we exactly for what we have on this day? Do we truly consider what we are thankful for or do we just think of the food and then the subsequent Black Friday shopping after the dinner to feed the consumerist monster that has been created with these holidays? Do we just focus on the football games and who will win the big game? Where is our thankfulness on this day?

?Let’s look at the history of Thanksgiving. In October of 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag tribe came together for three days of feasting in thankfulness of surviving the harsh winter and a plentiful harvest. This was one of the first thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. Later on, for more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. This continued up until 1863, during the Civil War, when President Abraham Lincoln declared an official day of Thanksgiving to be held every November. President Franklin Roosevelt then changed it and moved it up a week from what President Lincoln had it to increase shopping before Christmas so that it would help the economy recover that was still struggling from the Depression at this time. President Lincoln fixed the day for Thanksgiving to bring a war torn country together, and President Franklin Roosevelt fixed the day to help the economy.?

The history lessons shows? where the door was opened to allow Thanksgiving to be more about consumerism; and we still allow it today. Why do we still allow it today? Simply for the biggest, newest gadget that we think we need, while there are those who know true need on this day and every day. Thanksgiving is a day for being thankful for what we have, of spending time with families, and even reaching out to help your fellow humans and other occupants of this planet because you have plenty and are thankful. Thanksgiving is about realizing what you have, not eating and gorging yourself, then going and fighting crazy crowds to just get good deals on stuff that is not needed, and will break within a few months’ time. It is a shame that this holiday that once brought two separate groups of people together, and that brought a warn torn country together briefly, is now all about sales and consumerism.?

We, as a people, need to look around us and realize how consumed and addicted to stuff we are. We need to look within ourselves, and ask if this is truly how we wish to live or if we would rather just be thankful for what we have. We see these sales for these ?amazing? items, and think that we have to have them; that is not true. All it is is a gimmick to make you feel, to be important and to show your status, that you have to have this, and that, and you can get it for such a great deal: You know, rather than giving your first born child, an arm, a leg, and perhaps an organ or two to have it on any other day of the week, you can buy it for a greatly reduced price instead on this one day. (Seriously, if something costs that much, you DO NOT need it. You simply do not. It will not fill a hole, it will not cement your status, and it will hurt your wallet in the end.)

I urge you, my friends, to instead focus on what you already have. Focus on friends and family. Focus on the goodness in your life, the things that you have been blessed with throughout the year, and make a concentrated effort to help your fellow occupants of the Earth. There are so many that do need the help and the blessing. Thanksgiving used to be celebrated by whole communities: Everyone would come together to celebrate in the town square. Poor families, rich families, and middle class families all celebrated together. This is truly a proud American tradition and needs to stay that way. Besides, the season of giving will soon be upon us after the season of Thanksgiving. Focus on what you have, and then look for ways to give to others. Don’t focus on what you will get in these huge sales after Thanksgiving. Be thankful for what you have, and don’t worry about what you don’t need when you just want it.? Be thankful this Thanksgiving, and enjoy your time with your family.?

Edited/Published by: SB