During this time of the year, there are two types of people. Those that transition from Halloween to Thanksgiving, anticipating and awaiting the additional 10 pounds they will gain consisting of turkey, dressing, ham, mashed potatoes, fried okra, pumpkin pie, chocolate pie and pecan pie (need I go on?). Then there are those that begin singing Christmas carols, putting up decorations and mentally planning out their wish list as soon as it hits November 1.
Some of you may cringe internally (while others might begin quoting "Elf" with me) when I tell you that I am the latter. Now, to those of you that defend Thanksgiving, at least hear me out before you roll your eyes and go back to browsing the internet.
Setting aside the twisted historical context of Thanksgiving that in itself causes some to question the holiday (The Huffington Post has an interesting article on this), my beef with Thanksgiving is its singularity. We are only collectively thankful – as a family, a community, and a nation – one day of the year. What could our families look like if we took more time to stop our hectic lives, gather as one family, and enjoy each other’s company over a heaping plate of our favorite sides and desserts? What could our community look like if we joined to serve meals to the homeless on a regular basis, to reach out to those that need a family on the remaining 364 days of the year? What would our nation look like if more of us had attitudes of gratitude and thankfulness?
This is supposed to be a wake up call – to you and to me – that maybe we aren’t doing everything we can to take care of our brothers and sisters in this world and be thankful for those that we still have. Is there somewhere in your community you can serve others? Are there daily opportunities to express your appreciation and gratitude for the little things in life? This may sound cheesy and cliché, but a simple “thank you” can go a long way. Send a letter to the friend that helped you when you were having a rough week.
Take the opportunity to talk to distant relatives about your life and the many things you do (they really do care). Let your grandma have the last piece of chocolate pie at Thanksgiving dinner. Give up your Saturday morning to serve and talk to the homeless in your local soup kitchen or food bank. Call your mom.
Don’t let Thanksgiving be a one-time opportunity for you to genuinely show your gratitude for those in your life. Thanksgiving and Christmas are the seasons of love, happiness, Charlie Brown Thanksgiving specials on TV, tours of neighborhood Christmas lighting displays and an overall thankfulness for each opportunity given to us. So, thank you for helping me make our families, communities and nation one of gratitude and appreciation.
