Halloween has come to an end, and everyone knows that November 1st rings loudly of silver bells. That’s right, the holiday season is here once again, filling every bright-eyed child with excitement and every parent equally stressed about shopping. After the traditional fall holiday ends at the stroke of midnight, October 31st, the entire continent looks to the skies to hear those sleigh bells ring. However, there seems to be something missing. A vacant hole in the calendar marking a holiday most people seem to skip over more frequently, ringing in the commercialism of Christmas.
The holiday of thanks seems to become less valuable in the eyes of Americans as each year flies by. One must wonder how such an important holiday which shaped our country seems to be forgotten. As I left my dorm the other day, I continued to pass door after door in my hallway, each dressed up in holly and wrapping paper. Don’t even get me started about the lobby downstairs, it looks like I walked into a Hallmark Christmas movie. Thanksgiving seems to have been given on an inferior mask behind Christmas.
Everyone knows the story: the year was 1621 and a simple group called the Puritans, having broken free from the king’s reign, decided to celebrate their harvest. The Natives, thinking the gunshots from the Puritans were an act of war, went to talk to the English settlement. Instead of being met with hostility though, they were met with peace. A celebration of harvest and new friendships marked a holiday that would forever be remembered.
Today, the celebration is still practiced by having a feast and being with family. Although sometimes it feels like it is skipped with the excitement of Christmas around the corner. In a world full of turmoil and fear, it seems getting back to the simple things in life might be the best option, even if that means dinner with family on this important holiday. A day brought about by love and celebration should be remembered with the same enthusiasm as it has in the past. This year feels particularly essential to practice such endeavors with all the chaos going on around us. As everyone sits with their loved ones over a large roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, and the promise of pumpkin pie, I implore all those who have so much to think of those who aren’t as fortunate; those who can’t be home, are unable to be with family or need everyone’s prayers.
Remember that this is the holiday of gratefulness and peace. Shouldn’t we practice what earlier generations set out to undertake? They began with nothing but the shirts on their backs and a prayer in their hearts that everything was going to be alright. Even though there was hardship, they still found something to celebrate and be grateful for. I think it is a good lesson to remember in the fast-paced, uncertain lives we lead that, even though it is hidden in-between two exciting celebrations, what matters most in life above all else is the faith we carry with us and the gratefulness we should share for the things that make us smile.
Happy Thanksgiving!