Being Thankful

This Thanksgiving season I’ve thought about the difference between giving thanks and being thankful.  First, when giving thanks, who do we thank? The very act of thanking implies there is someone or something to receive the appreciation.

Of course, the most common interpretation is easy for Christians and other religions, we are thanking our God. I wonder who those who do not believe in a higher power thank? Is it their friends, family or co-workers? Perhaps their government?

Second, what are we saying thanks for? Stable employment, a nice car, health? I’ve blogged before about the relativity of giving thanks. There are service members and indeed many others in this world just thankful for the air in their lungs and the next second on earth. How could there be such a disparity? Should there not be a set rule for what one is thankful for?

Next, how did we get the symbology of giving thanks? If you are reading this in the U.S. then most of us know it has something to do with Pilgrims giving thanks around a large meal for having a harvest and presumably enough food to last the winter. This week’s featured pic is an image of the famous painting “The First Thanksgiving” by Jean Leon Jerome Ferris.

The thing is, most nations set a day aside for Thanksgiving. In Korea it is called Chuseok and, similar to America one of its purposes is to celebrate and give thanks for a bountiful harvest. Interesting how disparate cultures have a common desire to give thanks.

Lastly, and related to my second question, is humility a component of giving thanks? Isn’t it indeed better to give thanks not for possessions but rather our next meal as the holiday was originally intended or just our next moments as those battling disease might? 

Perhaps those who don’t give thanks to a higher power and partake in the traditional symbols of the Thanksgiving holiday just practice being thankful.

Being thankful maybe closer to an emotion or feeling such as happiness than an act of giving thanks. Being thankful could be described as spiritual (even if one does not believe in a spirit), not worldly. Maybe those who don’t observe Thanksgiving in the traditional sense are being thankful in spirit.

As for me and my household, tomorrow we will practice a more traditional approach, eat way too much and give thanks to our God for many blessings.

But I do believe there maybe something to be learned from those who may not pray tomorrow or partake in traditional Thanksgiving symbols yet remain thankful. It’s not about the traditional foods and act of giving thanks on the fourth Thursday in November but rather being thankful year-round.

Regardless of how you practice being thankful or giving thanks, I hope tomorrow finds you with peace, happiness and fullness in both body and spirit! Happy Thanksgiving!

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