Thanksgiving Eve

 Today is Thanksgiving Eve.  That sounds a bit strange, as we normally think of an “eve” day as being Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve.  Thanksgiving…the holiday…seems to sometimes get lost in the general noise of life as we gear up, so to speak, for the “big” holiday of Christmas.  According to an AI search of the Encyclopedia Britannica, the holiday was officially proclaimed by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 as a way to promote unity in a war-torn nation.

In a real way, the nation today is also in disarray…torn between right and left, conservative and liberal, religious and secular.  I have to wonder if the Thanksgiving holiday, properly observed, could help facilitate our coming together, if even for just a day, to celebrate unity…unity of purpose…unity of spirit…unity of brotherhood.

I don’t know what you will be doing in a special way…if anything…tomorrow.  Some of us are working.  Our jobs are a 24-7 thing, and we are on one of the shifts for tomorrow.  Some of us are traveling, whether by air, auto, or other means.  Or maybe we’re staying home cooking a special meal for our family or guests.

But some of us will be doing none of that.  Some will be on the street, in a shelter, in a hospital, a jail, or some other place we’d rather not be.  For those of us who will be in a warm home filled with the aroma of turkey, dressing, green bean casserole, and baked bread, it might do us good to at least think of some of the others who, for whatever reason, cannot be in a place like the one we are in.  And maybe we need to count our blessings instead of our challenges.

Last week, the wife and I took a short time off to go into western Kansas…a place we both are very familiar with.  We decided to get away, but to do so to a place we already knew…roads we had already traveled…towns and cities we already knew how to navigate.  We visited with people we’ve known for many years.  We ate at places we’ve known for decades.  We traveled roads and passed through towns…places where we had gone many times before in the past half century.  We stopped at tourist sites we already knew, with one or two new ones sprinkled in.

During those few days, I was thinking about times past and gone…people and places I had known…things I had done in those places…and just how much I have enjoyed my time alive on this ball of dirt.  Yes, there were challenges.  Yes, there were times I’d rather forget.  Yes, there were people in my life I’d rather not have had there.  But my life has been one of blessing, adventure, and protection.

Blessing in all that I’ve been able to see and experience that was good, right, and lovely.  Adventure in getting to see and do things that few others have experienced…my life has been rich and full.  Protection in guardian angels appearing at just the right time to save me from some catastrophe…usually of my own making.

Thanksgiving…yes…absolutely yes.  Thanksgiving just for tomorrow.  No.  Positively no.  Thankfulness daily is (or should be) the order of the day…this and every day.  Blessing, Adventure, Protection.

Maybe you have a different way of looking at life which brings you to a thankful attitude.  Whatever that way is, exercise it today, tomorrow, and every day.

And, maybe you find it difficult or impossible to be thankful.  Perhaps you’re struggling physically, mentally, or emotionally.  I don’t know what you may be going through right now, but know that help is available.

May God bless you as you walk through this time in your life.