Let's face it: Thanksgiving is not going to be the way you remember it used to be, nor will it be the way you imagine it. Thanksgiving will be whatever the day brings: maybe horrendous traffic on the way to somewhere else; maybe a meal at home; maybe hyped up kids; maybe a morning in church; maybe a walk on the beach; maybe peeling pounds of potatoes at the shelter; maybe an afternoon watching movies or football; maybe side-stepping difficult conversations; maybe a quiet walk in the green woods to avoid black Friday; maybe none of the above, or all of the above!!
In my French Canadian heritage, the day is called: L'Action de grace.*The simple translation points us to the reason, the main reason, that many countries including the U.S. observe one day of Thanksgiving out of 365. Simply put, the holiday is meant to be an expression of gratitude. What exactly does this mean? The word gratitude means a feeling of appreciation. A feeling, not an idea or mythology of what the day ought to be. Feeling appreciation while a nice idea, might not be as simple as apple pie.
A feeling of appreciation might require digging deep considering all the world's woes. A feeling of appreciation might require pausing in the middle of the chaos of life. A feeling of appreciation might not rise up given the givens of 2023. A feeling of appreciation might not be the same for you and me, for your mother or father, sister or brother, spouse or friend. Feelings are like that, different everytime for everyone.

That's why Thanksgiving will never be the same, no matter what you think.
We can never step into the same river twice because it is not the same river and we are not the same person. But, feeling appreciation this year, this day, this time, one more time, can be what we need to make Thanksgiving all that it is meant to be.
*The expression “thanksgiving” comes from the Hebrew word “shelem” which means: peace offering, reward, sacrifice for alliance or friendship, voluntary sacrifice of thanks.
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