On Thanksgiving, Bitter Thoughts Of

I'm going to do something compleeeeeetely uncharacteristic and tell you what I think about something. (I know, I know. Prepare yourselves for the shock.)

Specifically, Thanksgiving. I think it's...false. Just like Christmas.

I mean, really.

Here's what we actually celebrate: A day with the family, whom we may or may not see very often, on which we allow ourselves to overindulge in a level of gluttony that takes days to prepare for. Occasionally, there's a bonus moment or two of actual thanksgiving (in the dictionary sense, not the branded word Thanksgiving (tm) that calls to mind google-eyed turkeys joyfully advertising their own flesh for consumption).

Here's what Thanksgiving really is: A day designated to celebrate/acknowledge a false friendship between white settlers and the Native Americans whose land we took over. I realize that's a terribly pessimistic view of things, but there you have it. That's how I feel.

Here's what it should be: What it was originally intended to be--a harvest festival meant to be a chance to offer (wait for it...) thanksgiving to the earth for a plentiful harvest that will get families through the winter. A time to reflect on the blessings each person, each family, has received throughout the year or their lives. A time to give thanks to each other for their support in the hard times and their shared rejoicing in the good times.

Much like with Christmas, we have strayed far from what this holiday was meant for. It's true that our lives aren't so desperately dependent on local harvests for survival anymore. But our lives are far more complicated than they used to be way back when this tradition first began. We have many other things that we depend on to keep us happy, healthy and safe--things that our minds skitter past in our hurried day to day lives.

I guess the point of this rather long and grumpy post is that I wish everyone would take this whole week and, in fact, every week of the year to think about the blessings in their lives. Actually, I'd really, really love for people to act upon the sense of gratefulness I'm certain will follow this type of reflection, but we'll start with baby steps. :)

/grumpiness