As I walked down the aisles of my local department store. I was in search of fall/harvest decorations. Did I find any? Yeah a few. Was I happy with my selection? Not in the least bit! As I wandered down aisle after aisle, turning corner after corner. You know what was staring me in the face? Christmas! Yes that’s right. On the first of November. Weeks before Thanksgiving. I couldn’t even find a cornucopia horn for a table centerpiece. It upset me just a bit. Then made me wonder. Who or what stole Thanksgiving. As I looked around me it occurred to me.
Americans are so caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life that we forget the small things. Thanksgiving is a day to be thankful for. Thankful for food, air, water, electricity. You know all the small stuff people take for granted. Oh and lets not forget family, friends, our jobs for pete sake. Well I myself have not forgotten what Thanksgiving is. I am thankful for the Pilgrims and the Indians who sat down together at the first thanksgiving table in 1621 to give thanks to God. Yes God! There’s a name you don’t hear much anymore. Man have we come a long way since then. And along that way we have lost most of what they sat down to be thankful for.
Ponder on this for a moment would you? Think back five, ten, even fifteen years, heck go ahead and go back to when you were a child. What was thanksgiving like? What family what friends were there. Probably some you have lost over the years, but weren’t you thankful for the time you did get to spend with them? There’s that thankful word again! As you sit down this Thanksgiving holiday take a step back and a good look around. Slow down and take time to enjoy your friends, and family. And remember: Thanksgiving is not about black Friday sales, Christmas, or even football! Don’t let Christmas steal Thanksgiving! Do you remember what CHRISTmas is about? Oh that’s a whole other story!