While Thanksgiving started out as a holiday celebrating the Pilgrims' and Indians' survival of a harsh winter, it also covers the council's recognition of its flourishing community, submission of the local natives, and defeat over the British.
Over time, however, it has been seen overall as exactly what its name dictates: a day of thanks. Families across the nation put their own spin on tradition, and customs vary throughout.
For my family, Thanksgiving is a time to gather everyone together. We are all spread across the country, so this is one of the few times we get to rip on each other and laugh at the way times have changed over the years.
We cook together, eat together, and collectively pass out in the family room after dinner, typically with a movie playing in the background and a fire in the fireplace making the room extra cozy.
In this regard, Thanksgiving is an opportunity we as a family don't get to have every day. We don't always get to tell stories and laugh together, or compliment our mom and dad on their respective dishes (because they are both excellent cooks, I might add).
There is one part of Thanksgiving, however, that I wish to address, and that is the moment when we all go around the table and say what we're thankful for.
I'm not quite sure if this is a universal tradition, but it's something we have always done as a family. For me personally, I typically find myself awkwardly shifting in my chair, wondering what I can say that was different from last year, or what might sound funny or thoughtful to the rest of my family. By the time it's my turn to share, I usually end up winging it and saying something platitudinous.
I don't want to criticize this tradition, because there is some validity to it. Nonetheless, I think it's important to mention that Thanksgiving day shouldn't be the only day we collectively express gratitude. Whatever or whoever you believe in--whether that be God, Buddha, Mohammed, the Universe, or Science--think about those things you hold dearest to your heart.
Think about those things you take for granted.
Think about those people who drive you insane, but you couldn't imagine life without.
Think about the lessons you learn daily, the experiences you've had, the fact that there is a 99.999% chance that tomorrow morning, the sun will rise, and your day will begin.
Today, whatever day it is, think about your health. If you're healthy, be thankful for that.
Are both of your parents alive? Maybe they don't have the best approach when it comes to loving and understanding you. But they're alive and breathing.
Did you eat today? Can you afford to eat?
Do you have enough of a work-life balance that you had time to read this?
Are you breathing right now?
Did you smile today? Did someone smile at you?
Did you know that you are loved?
Are you aware that somewhere, someone wants something that you have? Someone would kill for the life you are living.
At the very least, do you know that you have the ability to decide how today is going to go? And by that, I mean how you will respond to it.
Thanksgiving is a time to think about what we're thankful for, but every day should be Thanksgiving. Every day should be a reminder that, sure, perhaps it's Tuesday morning and yesterday was ROUGH and tomorrow is hump day and oh sh*t you have a presentation later this week and dam*it you just spilled your coffee, but at some point today, something good has happened or will happen.
Life doesn't have to have these monumental events to be worthwhile. You don't have to be thankful for a promotion or a vacation you had. You don't have to have met "the one" and you don't have to have an amazing relationship with your friends and family.
Maybe you just had a breakup. Maybe no one understands you. Maybe people take advantage of you and you're sick and tired of it. You know what, sometimes life is just plain sh*tty. And that's okay. But are you really going to let that get in the way of your happiness?
Be thankful for something. Now. Today. I guarantee you it will bring you more comfort than sitting around and moping until the day that Thanksgiving finally comes around and you're forced to put together some banal response about how you're just so grateful for the delicious dinner in front of you.
