It’s probably a good thing that we have a federal holiday in this country designed to help us pause and reflect, just before we gorge ourselves, on all we should be thankful for.
It’s probably a good thing Abe Lincoln proclaimed that national day back in 1863, at the height of a bloody Civil War, “as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.” (Talk about heavy-handed governmental interference. What would the party of Lincoln think of that? But I digress.)
It’s a good thing, I think, because when you get right down to it, most of us are ungrateful bastards.
Sorry if that sounds harsh. But you know it’s true.
That’s how I am for most of the year: Ungrateful for the many ways in which people enrich my life. It’s the least I can do to pause at one time of the year to say “thanks,” if not to that “beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens,” then to the people who should be hearing a thank you a little more often than once a year.
So, with a nod to Abe Lincoln for setting in motion a tradition that continues, somewhat, to this day, I want to thank all of you who take the time to read this blog. And now, I’m off to thank some other folks in my life for all they’ve done for me, large and small.
Happy Thanksgiving. Be grateful.
Andy writes! 