Thanksgiving, that celebration of home and family, triggers memories that last through the decades. The scents, the songs, the family traditions, the quirky (but lovable) guests—these are life-enriching deposits in our memory banks. Herewith, a medley of reflections from our contributors about the day we set aside each year to celebrate generosity, gratitude, and goodwill.
THANKSGIVING: THE HOLIDAY AT THE HEART OF THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
By Deborah Harkins | November 20, 2017
Thanksgiving! that beloved homegrown holiday devoted to family reunion, a grand meal, generosity toward the poor, a spirit of gratitude, and, since the late eighteenth century, the avid watching of football games. But . . . does the history of the day really jibe with the heartening tale we learned in elementary school? READ MORE
THE NITTY-GRITTY OF GRATITUDE
By Jessica Caplan | November 26, 2015
Gratitude is the antidote for what plagues so many of us: dissatisfaction with what is, and a desire to change what’s happening now. Gratitude is a decision, and also a tool. Instead of trying to change the situation that is causing frustration, or worse yet, whining about it, we create a new relationship with it. It’s kind of magical, really: by tuning in to what this moment offers — by not trying to change it — we generate the shift we were needing. READ MORE
THANKSGIVING IN TANZANIA: THE STORY OF AN ACCIDENTAL PRIEST
By Deborah Harkins | November 26, 2013
“In Tanzania they don’t have a national Thanksgiving holiday,” says Sandra McCann, radiologist and Episcopal priest. “But every day is Thanksgiving there. They are thankful for every drop of rain, every little gift—a toothbrush, some medicine for malaria . . . They dance their offerings down the aisle every Sunday. And everyone must give. It can be an egg, a tomato, or a coin. A big gift would be a chicken or a goat. If you didn’t give, you would have lost your chance to say ‘Thank you.’” READ MORE
KEEPING THE PEACE AT THANKSGIVING
By Cecilia M. Ford, Ph.D. | November 22, 2017
The issue with family is that if you don’t have one on Thanksgiving, it’s a problem, and if you do have one on Thanksgiving, it’s a problem. Finding amenable guests to round out a dwindling or changing family structure can be a challenge. Sometimes it’s best to flout tradition by either ignoring the day or changing things around such that the “missing” persons or traditions are not so present. READ MORE
POETRY SUNDAY: THANKSGIVING OF ANOTHER KIND
By Women’s Voices for Change | November 17, 2013
Today, not long before the holiday most of us really do like best (even if it means dealing with the sister-in-law for whom the moniker “sourpuss” was coined or the cousin who really needs to get his drinking under control), we offer a poem that is a window into the kind of gemlike gratitude that can grow to generosity of spirit and even strength. READ MORE
