A long time ago, I was invited to a Thanksgiving meal by a couple who didn’t have a strong faith background at that time. It was a large gathering with multiple families around an extended table, complete with stuffing, mashed potatoes, biscuits, cranberry sauce and a plump golden-brown turkey on a platter. The air was buzzing with excited chatter and the viscid bouquet of simmering gravy. At the appointed time, we were ushered to our seats, and then for a moment, the room hushed, as we eyed one another and the epicurean feast before us. Then our hostess announced loudly, “OK everyone, Dig in!” There were no Thanksgiving reminders.
As we passed the potatoes and debated the merits of light and dark meat between us, I couldn’t help but ponder the obvious irony lost on our hosts. We gathered for Thanksgiving, but we never gave thanks. Not to one another, and not to God. So while the meal was amazing and the company was pleasant, the overarching reason for our gathering went largely ignored.
So we weren’t thanksgiving. We were thanks-eating.
7 Thanksgiving Reminders
Thanksgiving is still one of the more pure holidays, in my opinion. It hasn’t been diluted by Easter bunnies or Santa Clauses or talking Snowmen. It is still largely separated from the holiday shopping season.
