With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it's time for us to think about the true meaning of this holiday. Yes, we can't wait for turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes, but that's not the only reason we gather around the table at this time of year. There's more to this holiday then just the food, and for that reason, we have to be thankful.
I'm not going to lie, the first thing I think about when I hear the word 'Thanksgiving' is all of the good food and the even better leftovers. And we can't forget about the Black Friday shopping (yes, I do wake up at the crack of dawn for that). But thinking only about the food and shopping is such a small, materialistic thing in comparison to everything behind it. Who put in the hard work to prepare the food? Who worked hard to buy it? Who do we share it with? What do we say before we eat? Who earned the money to go shopping? The questions behind all this are endless, but the fact that we even have to remember to think further than what is in front of us should remind us of something we should do every day: be thankful.
It's so easy for us to get caught up in the excitement of seeing family and eating a delicious meal together that we forget the true meaning of this holiday. Although we should be doing this every day of the year, this is the one time when most of us sit down and say grace together. Thanksgiving is not the only day we should be thankful for what we have or the opportunities we receive. That should be something we think about every day. This should not be the only day that we voice what we are thankful for. We can do this in our everyday lives, even if it's just for the simple things.
At the end of each and every day, we are thankful. Thankful for our friends and families, thankful we can be together, thankful for the knowledge we receive, thankful for the opportunities we are given. It is important for us to remember that Thanksgiving is not the only time we remember to be thankful, we are thankful every single day.