ALT-1 The Purpose of Thanksgiving

The purpose of Thanksgiving should be to give thanks for all those gifts and blessings that we take for granted every day. Too often we go through our lives finding things that are wrong in our world. We do not have everything we want, we are dissatisfied with the way things are going, and we aren’t who we want to be. With all this negativism, we overlook the obvious blessings that we enjoy.Thanksgiving, or Harvest Home, as it was known in Europe, even before the first colonists came to America, was a time to enjoy the fruits of your labor and give thanks for all the bounty that you received throughout the year. Its purpose was to celebrate the harvest, reward yourself for a job well done, and most importantly, give thanks to God for sustaining you through another year. It was a time to gather together for a purpose other than work, to eat, visit and celebrate the day.The first colonists had good reason to be pessimistic. They had suffered terrible days, hardships, hunger, and loss of life. Not one of them was left untouched by grief and disaster. And yet, everyday they survived, they considered themselves blessed. Once they had a sufficient supply of food and a roof over their heads, they truly believed it was time for a feast of thanksgiving. Their needs were simple, survival, and they shared their bounty.Everyone has a reason not to be grateful, if we choose to dwell on it. We have all suffered losses throughout the year, some more than others. But, most of us already have the blessing of shelter and food. We may be lucky enough to have many more blessings than that, such as family, friends, and health. Our lives are certainly easier, our health care better, and our daily existence, safer than any time in history.Thanksgiving is also the time for families to reunite. In a world where children and grandchildren are spread across the country, holidays are sometimes the only events where several generations can get together. These are treasured times, where stories are exchanged, and memories are made.We may not all be farmers, celebrating a good harvest, but the concept should be the same. We all have things to be grateful for, and this is the time to take stock of these blessings. We should be as thankful for this day and every good thing that we have as our ancestors were.

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