(J.L.G. Ferris, Library of Congress, (neg. no. LC-USZC4-4961))
Thanksgiving. A simple word that signifies so much. On that day Americans take pause, not to celebrate a birthday or honor great people, but to take a step back and think about the blessings we have received in our lives. And we have so much to be thankful for.
Thanks for the privilege of living in the greatest nation in the history of man. From her earliest days, even before she was called America, this country represented hope. Hope of new opportunities, of a better life, of freedom from religious and political persecution. The appreciation expressed on that first Thanksgiving was genuine and enduring, and continues today. Being here, in America, is a blessing indeed.
Thanks for the troops who toil far from home. They risk their lives for us – and for the residents of other nations – quietly, professionally, and without fanfare. They are our sons and daughters, fathers and mothers. They won’t be here, but they’ll be remembered and missed.
Thanks for the family. This week, millions of people will drive or fly thousands of miles to spend this one precious day with friends and loved ones. Around the dinner table they will feast on the traditional fare, watch football, and catch up. But inside each of them, deep down where the heart drives the soul, sits the true meaning of the holiday. They’ll feel the peace that comes from belonging to something good. America, the military, the family.
We have a lot to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving, wherever you are.
