I can summarize the majesty and magic of Thanksgiving in one word: FOOD. Yeah, the Macy’s parade and football are all great, but don’t tell me the first thing that pops into your head when you think about this blessed day isn’t a bountiful feast of carbs. We owe our forefathers a lot, but bless them for dedicating a whole day to my favorite hobby (which is eating). I mean, think about it; This day is dedicated to stuffing as much stuffing in your mouth as humanly possible. Pile on the turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, and bread until your plate may crack in half! Then no one judges you if you wipe the sweat from your brow and go for round two. Tired from all the eating? That’s when the food coma sets in, lulling you into a blissful slumber filled with dreams of dinner to come. The sights, smells, and annoying family members around the table may last for a day, but the food isn’t going anywhere because the leftovers will be lasting for another two weeks. You haven’t lived on the edge until you pile every kind of leftover between two slices of bread and call that monster a sandwich. It’s like holding Thanksgiving between your hands and then reliving the entire holiday in each bite. That’s the stuff dreams are made of.
As much as I love food (which is more than I love most people), food is not the only thing Thanksgiving is about. Some people don’t get the family and food taking up the whole table, the sound of talking and laughing mingling with all the smells in the air. For some, Thanksgiving is spent alone as a modest meal eaten in front of the TV, a day not unlike any other. Thanksgiving should be a reminder of how difficult it is to provide food for the family. On this, a day meant for indulgence and gluttony, there are families who struggle to keep the hunger at bay. Maybe Thanksgiving is spent outside in the cold, huddling with strangers that are just as lost as you, with no permanent home to call your own. Maybe Thanksgiving is not about enjoying more than you need; maybe it’s a painful a reminder of everything you lack. So in the midst of enough turkey to feed a village, be grateful. Home, food, and good company are blessings too many people live without. Take time to give heartfelt thanks and save some room for pumpkin pie.