Remembering Thanksgiving
By Albert B. Kelly
Sometimes it’s hard to
really drill down and remember what Thanksgiving is all about. I say that
because in the age of the consumer-driven economy, the whole thing can get
commercialized and shallow. I was amazed walking through a mall last week
listening to Bing Crosby crooning about a “White Christmas”.
We haven’t yet gotten to
Thanksgiving and they’re already pushing us into full Christmas mode. Of course
economists will tell us that robust fourth quarter earnings are critical to the
momentum of recovery. I suppose that’s reason enough for the retail sector to
blow through Thanksgiving-but still the there’s only so much Christmas music we
can do in a given season.
And Beyond the lengthening
of the retail part of the holidays, the season seems to always have some horrid
Black Friday story of a sales-crazed mob trampling some poor soul to death like
a pack of frenzied bison just to get the next Apple product or a flat screen TV
on sale.
For me, the holiday
season, at the very least, should have some time to pause, reflect, and perhaps
reorder priorities. Certainly Thanksgiving might qualify as a time to focus on
the important stuff of our lives.
This in itself becomes
hard because while I know many people who are thankful for many things, our
society or the culture; doesn’t put much stock in humble gratitude. Somehow the
images we celebrate, whether in the world of entertainment, sports, or
business; all have the take-no-prisoners-win-at- all- costs- nice- guys-finish
last mindset.
Whether we want to or not,
we find ourselves competing against this mentality. And if we’re not competing
there, then it comes down to material things; money, house, car, stuff; as if
the true worth of a person is tied to what they have.
Maybe Thanksgiving should
be a time to hit the reset button and recalibrate our sense of things.
Maybe someone is battling
serious health issues. I would imagine that there’s not much they wouldn’t
exchange in return for good health. Maybe others are desperately missing loved
ones; it’s likely they’ve worked over the memories thinking of things they wish
were never said or all the things left unspoken.
Maybe some are struggling
under the weight of debt or financial pressure; the uncertainty of what comes
next or waiting for the other shoe to drop. A few might be trying to hold their
lives or their families or their marriages together with both hands and it
takes everything they have to do it.
Unfortunately, the
holidays don’t magically fix these things and sometimes, especially with
Christmas, the bar can be set so high that it becomes its own pressure just to
clear it.
Maybe the best thing about
Thanksgiving is that if we’re willing, it’s an opportunity to really focus on
the things that matter the most; family, health, friends, home, possibilities,
opportunities…second chances.
As we approach
Thanksgiving, my hope is that you enjoy good health, have all of what you need
and some of what you want. My wish for everyone is that, regardless of
circumstances, we all have or find reasons to be thankful. I have my own and
it’s rooted in faith, but that’s just me.
If you just can’t get to
thankfulness right now, I can only say that when I found myself in such a
place, the only way through sometimes was to try and make myself a blessing for
someone else…in other words become their reason to be thankful. Somehow, when I
did, I found what I lacked and for that I was thankful. In the midst of doing I
became.
If you’re looking to be a
blessing, locally we still need volunteers to serve in Code Blue and for our
area soup kitchens. Information on how to get started can be found on the
City’s website or on Bethany Grace Church website and your effort would certainly
make others thankful.
There will be enough going
on around us to fill up the season or at least to distract us; enough shopping
and retail activity (hopefully with no sales-induced stampedes). There will be
enough wrapping paper and food and song as well, but that doesn’t get me to
“thankful”.
Aside from the personal
stuff, it’s our community, warts and all, and the opportunities ahead; the
possibilities still in front of us and the chance to serve. It’s about the men
and women and children who fill out our ranks. It’s about wishing you a very
Happy Thanksgiving.