This week has been organised chaos leading up into the day of Thanksgiving. I look back on the past week of homeschool lessons on the history of the significance of this day, and also the grocery trips that sticker shock me still as I prepare a feast for a small family gathering. It made me reflect on what Thanksgiving means to me, and how I want to prepare the festive occasion not just for myself, but those around me.
Our history, heritage, and our future are all tied together. Thanksgiving was a day that actually lasted for three days, and transpired with more than just immediate family. It was a feast that broke boundaries, and created a long-lasting friendship for fifty four years with a Native American tribe that had been in the Plymouth area for decades. I know there are many stories that can be told and many histories that can be tied back to Thanksgiving when the Pilgrims arrived in America. I however want to focus on the idea of unity, gratefulness, and generosity.
Thanksgiving to me is about unity with others around our tables and around our neighbourhoods. It's about the ability to be free - all of us - in this great nation. Being thankful for the ability to have freedom from a monarchy, freedom of all religions, and the ability to practice that religion.
Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful of all the things we have no matter how small, or how large. It's been laboured for, gathered, and cherished under our stewardship. We should be appreciative of what we have accomplished - big and small. We should be grateful of the families and friends around us, no matter how different.
Thanksgiving is a time to be generous to those around us, no matter how small that generosity might be. It could be facilitating a meal drop off for those who cannot afford one, it could be donating to a food pantry, or other charity organisation. In some cases it is opening our doors to someone who may not have family or friends to dine with.
Lastly, Thanksgiving should be a time where we can set aside differences, and focus less on the division and more on the unity that should bring this country together. As we all sit at our tables tomorrow, whether loaded down with food, or empty of plates and glasses, I hope that we can all reflect on what it means to be in this country, and how it has given us so much more than we could ever imagine. Let's be thankful that we can gather around our tables, and lets be thankful we can be free to celebrate openly
*This is a guest post by Mikaela Nadeau. The views expressed are those of Mikaela Nadeau, and not endorsed by the New Gloucester GOP. The New Gloucester GOP supports the right of individuals to submit guest blog posts freely, and without censorship. If you are interested in sharing an article, or post please send all submissions to newgloucestergop@gmail.com
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