This week we celebrate the great American holiday of Thanksgiving. This is a holiday focused on celebrating brotherly kindness, giving and gratitude. It is a day when we remember the kindness of the Native Americans towards the early Pilgrims, and the Native American's willingness to help them succeed in their new homeland. They taught the Pilgrims how to raise a successful corn crop and when harvest time came the remaining passengers of the Mayflower didn't go hungry.
Amidst this spirit of gratitude, giving and taking the time to notice the kindness of others, as well as taking extra care to be kind to others, it is an interesting thing that in America there has risen a new holiday specifically geared towards greed and gluttony. I'm looking at you, Black Friday.
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I know this will be met with many the eye-roll from the avid Black Friday shopper, but hear me out on this one. How does it make any sense to spend a day recounting what you're thankful for, to only turn around the very next day and buy up all the things you want? That doesn't strike you as the least bit paradoxical?
I understand that the common rationale is that it is for Christmas present shopping and the deals are just too good to pass up!
I disagree. Pass them up this year.
Last year I participated in what has been coined as #OptOutside. The campaign was started by REI, as support for their giving their employees paid vacation on Black Friday to go outside and be thankful for nature. Last year I hiked in Silver Falls State Park, and it was beautiful. I honestly can't think of a better way to truly get into a genuine spirit of gratitude than to be in nature and see how fall changes to winter, and appreciate how the cycle of nature never ends, it is all one continual round of hibernation and rebirth.
Perhaps you could take this time for introspection, evaluate your year, where you've been, where you wish to be this time next year and you can set goals for how you'll get there. Opting Outside is more than boycotting corporations out to squeeze every dollar from your wallet and keep retail workers from enjoying their Thanksgiving holiday fully, its about reconnecting with yourself. Taking a day, after all of the wonderful prying questions from your family dinner the day before, to realign yourself and prepare for the coming new year. Being in nature bears a significantly smaller chance of being stampeded by masses of crazed shoppers and a significantly higher chance of appreciation and self-discovery.
You have your options, but I do hope that this year, you #OptOutside.
