Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. What's not to love?—a day of good food, family and friends, and the beginning of a happy and peaceful holiday season. It's warm and comforting to have a day off, separated from work and stress, dedicated to taking time to slow down and be mindful of all the wonderful things in life. When thoroughly enjoyed, Thanksgiving is a blissful day of gratitude.
This year, I went Black Friday shopping for the first time. I thought it would be fun to go out late with friends and have this experience for the first time (it had been hyped-up, after all), maybe finding a few good deals along the way. The reality was harshly different. The mall was swamped; people were pushing each other aside to get their hands on deals that, in my opinion, weren't at all worth the struggle. I was confused at the lengths people would go to for a certain materialistic object, especially just hours after being gathered with loved ones around the table, thinking of all their lives' blessings.
The stark contrast between these two days in America astounds me. How could such a warm and spiritual holiday be followed by a day of greed, consumerism and materialism? People who were previously baking pies for their families to enjoy are shoving strangers for flat screen TVs and cashmere sweaters.
The problem is, people are so numbed to the wonderful blessings in their lives that they are too quick to push their gratitude for them aside. We latch to material objects to acquire a means of immediate satisfaction, convincing ourselves that this is enough. Of course, none of that false sense of contentment lasts. True joy and fulfillment comes only with the love of our family and friends and with the constant mindfulness of our individual blessings.
This is why humanity needs the holiday season at least once a year, a time of year to send messages of selflessness, love, and simplistic joy—but we cannot allow it to be tainted by greed. Humanity needs to be reminded that Thanksgiving is not about prepping for Black Friday, and Christmastime is not for doorbuster deals. Take this time and spend it living in the moment, donating to those who need it, and being grateful for everything life has blessed you with. This is how we regain and recharge our humanity.
