Giving Thanks Is Such a Great Idea

Thanksgiving, 2010

Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday. Though it too has
become the victim of our insatiable appetite to turn all traditions into
mass marketing events, it still remains more focused on feasting with family
and friends.

I love the story behind Thanksgiving. A small band of desperate
people from one continent made their way to another in search of a better
life. They were met with a mix of curiosity, fear, distrust, resentment,
scorn, and, amazingly enough, hospitality. This story has been unfolding for
a decade short of four hundred years now.

The cultural barriers back then were immense. Different nearly
everything: languages, theologies about a Creator-God, customs, living
accommodations, food preferences, recreation, and on and on. The miracle of
Thanksgiving is that in spite of these profound differences, two very
different cultures came together to celebrate the fall harvest and give
thanks that they had survived a very difficult year together.

Today we struggle with the same challenges. We are a nation
divided over many differences in language, theologies about a divine being,
customs and traditions, living accommodations, food preferences, recreation,
and on and on.

We focus too much on how we are different from one another. We
focus too little on how we are all in this country together. All of us have
arrived here from somewhere else. Even those we know as Native Americans
descend from ancient people who first discovered this continent. Every one
of us descends from people who risked their lives to settle in this land we
call America. We are heirs of the choices made by these ancestors. Some of
our ancestors chose to come here very recently. Some a generation or two
ago. Some several hundred years ago. And some too far back to know. We,
their descendents, will either move forward together or go down together.

Thanksgiving is a perfect time to hit the "pause" button of our
lives together in the grand land. We need to stop hurling insults and
accusations at one another and look around at the opportunities and
blessings we have today because of what our ancestors risked in their day.

Though we are challenged with problems large and small, we are
blessed with people who quietly go out to do what they can to make a
positive impact. Thousands of our citizens volunteer every day in a rich
variety of ways. Let's give thanks for them and follow their lead.

Bill goes out to pick up trash and paint fences. He's in his
late 70's. He could just stay home and watch football all day, but he
doesn't. Rochelle joins a small team of volunteers to provide a warm meal
and a safe haven for homeless teenagers.

Ron tutors high school students, encouraging them to stay in
school until they graduate. Beverly takes her dog to a rehab center where
the dog cajoles physically handicapped people into learning how to adjust to
life minus one or more limbs. Norm and his family spend part of Thanksgiving
Day distributing warm clothing to the homeless of our city.

Let's stop the criticizing and attacking. Let's focus on what we
have in common. Let's talk about all the reasons we have to give thanks and
all the opportunities before us. Let's do what our ancestors did years
ago-take time off from our worries and fears to feast and celebrate.

Happy Thanksgiving