Is Thanksgiving Still a Holiday?

Is Thanksgiving still a holiday? On its own?

Not merely as a precursor to Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. Not as the day the “shopping season” begins. Not as Turkey Day. Not as the next stepping stone to BCS bowl eligibility.

I understand that retailers are focused on generating revenue, that we each need to do what we can to help the economy.

I enjoy good football games. I really appreciate great food.

I suppose it should not be too surprising that the one day each year we set aside to reflect and count our blessings would get smaller and smaller. Giving thanks is not an easy way to motivate people to buy more things.

It does not help that it is stuck between those two financial powerhouses, “the day for which we decorate and buy candy” and “the day for which we decorate and buy presents.”

Thanksgiving makes us uncomfortable. Not the day, not the enormous meals or the family time. We are not eager to give thanks for what we have received.

We prefer to believe that we deserve what we have. We work hard, and have received the fruit of our labor. We want a day to enjoy what we have earned.

Thanksgiving is not about what we have earned. Thanksgiving is when we remember how much we have been given.

I am inviting you to join me for Thanksgiving. I would really appreciate it if we could spend some Thanksgiving time being thankful.

Can we let go of the things that distract us so we can focus on what we have been given rather than what we have earned?

Thank you. I look forward to it.

What have you been given that you have not earned?

Who are you thanking today?

[Image by Terry Ballard]