A Message of Thanksgiving

Photo credit: Elizabeth Fernandez

There is plenty of good in the world, including developments that keep hope alive for better days ahead. But there is no denying that we’ve had another year filled with tumult, uncertainty, pain, and suffering. As 2023 winds down and we look to the year ahead, there is little indication that these troublesome and dangerous trends will abate. If anything, they will likely intensify as we gallop toward a presidential election — probably one of the most consequential in our nation’s history.

In a world filled with causes for sadness and fear, dark clouds stretch in all directions; in this age of profound discontentment, Thanksgiving arrives. What might we make of it?

Thanksgiving is arguably the most celebrated, revered, and complicated secular holiday in the United States. Sure, there are others, such as the Fourth of July, Labor and Memorial Days, and a personal favorite of ours, Arbor Day, but nothing rivals the size of the feasts, the scale of the travel, and the joy and angst that can come from family gatherings at Thanksgiving.

As with several American traditions, the holiday is aspirational. The story most of us learned as children — of the “first Thanksgiving,” where Pilgrims and Native Americans broke bread in a time of peril — is an exercise in mythmaking. The facts of that fateful time were, of course, far more complicated. And what followed between Native Peoples and those who would go on to found the United States would be a tragedy of epic proportions. 

But just as the phrase “all men are created equal” was written at a time when slavery (among other grave injustices) had a bloody grip on the nation, so too can the ideal of Thanksgiving point us toward hope even as we acknowledge the reality of its origins. 

Thanksgiving is, at its core, a harvest holiday. A time to celebrate the reaping of the bounty Earth has provided. Other cultures around the world have similar celebrations, and for good reason. For much of human history, there was an immediate connection between how much food could be gathered before winter’s desolation and the prospects for survival. Fall was a time for thanks, but also of fear — if the harvest came up short. 

Today, most of us live far removed from the land. And fears of privation, if not outright starvation, are remote to the point of being nonexistent. We should remember that this is not true for all. There are millions who are hungry here in the United States and many more around the world. 

But even for those of us who will sit down to sumptuous dinner tables this Thanksgiving, there are other fears and sadnesses that will accompany the revelry. We can’t help but worry about our collective future. We think of those who find themselves in war zones around the globe — mourning, under bombardment, fleeing home. We think of those being persecuted for their ethnic and cultural background, their religion, or whom they love. We think of the dire threats to our democracy. 

These are all issues that are tearing at the fabric of our society. At this annual holiday of coming together, we are a divided nation. We are angry, distrustful, and disoriented. It is likely that many of you will have uncomfortable or even confrontational conversations at the Thanksgiving meal. Some families won't gather at all because politics have driven them apart. 

Difficult Thanksgivings are not new. There are always issues — personal and societal — that can strain or even sever the bonds of family and friends. But it does seem that the base level of animosity that exists in the United States today is the highest since maybe the 1960s. Perhaps it is even higher than that. 

This is why Thanksgiving, in its simplest and purest form, is so important. It is because of all that is and can go wrong that we need to give thanks for what pushes this world back from the abyss of despair. For all the forces that are tearing us apart, there are others that seek to mend what is broken. For all those who seek conflict, there are those who strive for peace. 

It is important not to be Pollyannaish, but cynicism is also destructive. We should balance a recognition of the immense challenges we confront with an understanding that there are also harvests of hope. All our lives represent a blend of triumph and defeat, happiness and disappointment. But some of us face far greater struggles than others. That is why Thanksgiving is ultimately about much more than a personal state of thankfulness. It is about creating a society that supports one another. 

We are thankful for all who do exactly that in their professional and personal lives. There are so many of you who uplift and encourage, nurse and teach, forge justice and build hope. We are especially grateful for all of you who have joined the Steady community. Your support, eloquent comments, and sharing of our message are greatly appreciated.

It might be hard to remember sometimes, but there is a lot of goodness in this world. It far outweighs the bad. Sadly, it is just a lot easier to be destructive than productive. And that is what makes the progress this nation has seen over the course of its short history all the more remarkable. We have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. There are powerful forces trying to push us backward. But with thanksgiving in our hearts and determination in our actions, we can forge a brighter future, if we do it together. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all. 

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