I fondly remember a community college professor who taught me United States History during the summer between my Junior and Senior years in high school. This man was a Lincoln fanatic. No other person on the earth seemed equally qualified as him to teach the importance of Lincoln's contributions to America. I remember distinctly what I learned about Thanksgiving:
In 1863 Lincoln made Thanksgiving a National Holiday. In the depths of the Civil War, Lincoln proclaimed that the nation needs to be thankful for the "bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come..." Lincoln goes on to establish a day of giving thanks: "I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, ..., to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens." The purpose of Lincoln's Thanskgiving was to take a moment to ask God "...to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it... to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union." "Proclamation of Thanksgiving (October 3, 1863)". Abraham Lincoln Online. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
Though Lincoln himself was clearly a follower of God, his message resonates even if you aren't. Because whatever your faith, you can still probably give thanks for many things. Give thanks for the men who fought in the Civil War, or the men who are fighting current wars in the Middle East, far from their families, stuffed birds and delicious pie this weekend. Give thanks for your family, your friends, your job, your "bounties". Give thanks for pumpkin pie and a well deserved day off.
Give thanks to whoever you want, for whatever you want, but take a moment to be grateful.
Secondly, don't shop this weekend. Be thankful for what you already have. Because the pre lit Christmas tree, the holiday ribbon Bow-Tique, the American Girl crafts and the Crayola activity kits you were going to buy, they can wait.
