There's nothing wrong with being thankful (Hijack Thanksgiving and make it your own).

[cherokeeprogressive]

Thanksgiving in this modern age is largely a secular holiday. It's one of the few holidays we celebrate each year that isn't wrapped up in religion, nor is it a celebration of our warlike tendencies.

If you have nothing at all to celebrate this coming Thursday, be thankful that you survived the night, and are able to sit up and take nourishment for another day. Surely there is something to be thankful for. Hell, be thankful that nothing happened during the night that forced one of the world's nuclear powers to push the button.

We have a tradition in my family that drives me crazy. I hate it until it starts, and then it leaves everyone at the table laughing and crying at the same time. My Mom started it about 20 years ago. EVERYONE has to participate.

Each Thanksgiving, we sit at the table with Family and Friends BEFORE going through the "buffet line", and rather than have someone say "Grace" before we eat, we tell each other what we're thankful for. Either someone volunteers to go first, or is picked by consensus. From there, we go around the table. The "thanks" range from things like "I'm glad I got a bike for my birthday" from the younger participants, to such thanks as "I'm glad the spot on my lung was benign". Everyone has to admit that there is SOMETHING to be thankful for this year. Not once in it's history has this tradition failed to evoke both tears and laughter. I've thanked my Parents for my wonderful sister. My Grandma once thanked my Grandpa for putting down the bottle. By the time it's gone around the table, everyone is loose, crying, laughing, and happy to be there, happy to be with each other, and happy to be alive. Not once has it failed to make for a wonderfully "together" experience.

Come on folks, forget about genocide, forget about politics, forget about vegan vs carnivore, forget about factory farming, forget about everything but those people you're lucky enough to share the day with. Give thanks that for this one day, there is food enough for everyone at your table, and that those who ARE at your table are people you truly care about. Let your good fortune motivate you, for another year, to help those LESS fortunate than you are.

Eat what you want. It doesn't have to be a bird native to North America. It doesn't have to be the byproduct of a bean. It doesn't have to be fish, foul, beef, or pork. Gather your Family and Friends close, and give thanks that they're your Family and Friends. Be thankful that your lungs still have the capacity to draw breath.

Be Thankful for whatever you want, but for this one day each year, Be Thankful. Then go watch the Cowboys win, and the Lions lose.

[paulsby]

1. i'm not going to go halfway

i am thankful that i live in the united states, and for all this wonderful country has done for me and my ancestors.

i'm not going to hide that.

i am sure many a frenchman gives thanks on bastille day, fwiw.

good for them.

nothing wrong with loving your country and giving thanks for it.

[cherokeeprogressive]

14. Ya know, I'm not ashamed. I'm not angry. We're here in this modern age, and it is what it is.

We who are alive today have absolutely no influence on the events of 200-300-400 years ago. No matter who our ancestors were, we are who we are today. Our job is to make the best of who we are, no matter who our ancestors were.

I'm a veteran of this country's armed forces, have an expeditionary forces medal, and have to admit that a well rendered version of The Star Spangled Banner brings tears to my eyes each and every time (I was at Dodger Stadium with 56,000 other people and you could hear them all singing...).

The point of my post is that I'd sit down with ANYONE on Thursday, and trade thanks. Thanks for the good things that have happened to me, and if nothing good had happened to me I'd trade thanks for being able to sit up and breathe, and be thankful for the good things that happened to my Friends and Family.

[paulsby]

15. i can go with that

i just wanted to give props to the USA.

[rebel with a cause]

22. I call it my day to cook a lot of food, eat a lot of food

and then wash a lot of dishes.

Call me contrary, but I don't have a dishwasher so there is no way I am going to be thankful on Thursday. :evilfrown:

[misanthrope]

2. Thanksgiving is anti-American...

...True gratitude quells the desire for endless consumption and nothing could be further from the contemporary "patriotic" American raison d'etre.

[cherokeeprogressive]

4. How did you get "patriotic" from my post? n/t

[misanthrope]

7. Not a comment on your post...

...just on the popular mythology.

[cherokeeprogressive]

9. WTF? My post was about LETTING GO of the popular mythology and celebrating

what we as individuals, families, and social groups might have to be thankful for.

Your post totally disregarded the spirit of mine. For what purpose, to what end, I'm not sure.

Thanks for putting your .02 in though, I guess. No matter that it was a negative added to what was meant to be positive.

[misanthrope]

6. nix**nm

**

[HuckleB]

3. Exactly! Great post. K & R.

[Lisa0825]

5. I agree with you, and that is exactly how I see Thanksgiving.

Just like most other holidays have evolved over time, to me, Thanksgiving is about appreciating what you have, and has nothing to do with pilgrims, genocide, etc.

[cherokeeprogressive]

8. It's actually the day that motivates me to live my life in a better way, to give to charity,

and to do my best to lift up those less fortunate than myself.

It's not about Pilgrims or Indians.

It's about giving thanks.

[roguevalley]

28. I hug you, cherokeeprogressive. I give thanks for this land, for

hope, for my parents who are now gone four thanksgivings and for this place. I give thanks for people who don't have a reason to forgive and give love who do so anyway. I give thanks that I read your post. Happy Thanksgiving, cherokeeprogressive.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. My dear cherokeeprogressive...

What a great post...

To be thankful for something good in our lives...

Absolutely.

Thank you!

K&R

[cherokeeprogressive]

11. I'm thankful for so many things, I feel there should be a day for celebrating those things.

What better day than the one called "Thanksgiving"?

My favorite three words... "My dear cherokeeprogressive"

I'm flattered each and every time you reply to one of my posts.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

12. Thank you, sweetie...

I'm flattered when you answer mine...

:hug:

[cherokeeprogressive]

17. Goodness... But you DO know how to make a man blush...

I'm no one if not that guy who can be witty at times, and idiotic at others. Most times I'm the latter rather than the former.

In true CaliforniaPeggy form, you make me feel like I'm actually somebody.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

20. I am here to tell you that you ARE somebody...

You're not just letters on a screen.

You are a living, breathing man, whom I respect.

I've met many DUers here, in just this way...

And they are all real people...

:hug:

[Sarah Ibarruri]

13. It's not every day we make stuffing....

or have sweet potatoes...
or eat cranberry sauce...
or have pumpkin pies...

So hey, it's a food holiday, and one in which I stop to think of what I'm thankful of.

I'm thankful for these things:

(1) My family
(2) My health
(3) My family's health
(4) Enough money to eat
(5) My education
(6) My opportunities to travel abroad
(7) Democrats and liberals
(8) My ability to enjoy and love music, fiction & movies


I don't look at the history of this holiday tho. Not into that AT ALL.



;(

[PJPhreak]

16. What I am Thankful For,

I am thankful for Love and Concern of my Friends and Family

I am thankful that I have a roof over my head,Shack that it is (And believe me in a lot of places in the US it would be condemned!) I know Homelessness,as I was for Many Years.

I am thankful that I have a running car,Again Crappy as the 27 Year old/191,000 miles thing is, it will take me where I need to go. And Back.

I am Thankful that Mr.Obama is my President,for the other options are totally unacceptable.

I am Thankful for my health,for Health Ins is something that I have Never had.

And finally I am Thankful to all of ya'll here at DU.

[cherokeeprogressive]

19. The love and concern of your Friends and Family are things to be treasured.

I've been where you are. I got lucky.

And I, as you are, am thankful that President Obama is in charge. I may be critical of his choices and actions at times, but I know in my heart that he was and is the best man for the job.

Good Luck to YOU PJP.

[PJPhreak]

21. Thank You! nt

[Behind the Aegis]

18. Thank you! K&R

[clyrc]

23. My grandparents were foster parents for 3 Navajo boys

when I was growing up. They certainly had some problems with what had happened to their native lands, but they liked Thanksgiving food as much as anybody. Because they were willing to let the holiday be about food and family, and friends who are close as family, I feel let off the hook to celebrate the day, too. I'm crazy about holidays and holiday food, but I try to be as honest with my daughters as I can be as to why some people might find Thanksgiving objectionable.

[Blue For You]

24. I'm thankful that I don't need a special day to be thankful.

You may think it's a "secular" holiday, but in my part of the world (the ignorant Bible Belt of the south), it's a religious holiday. In fact, Thanksgiving is now the day many people put up their fucking Christmas trees. Try to get in a store Friday morning after Thanksgiving, and you might get trampled to death by someone who was giving "thanks" the day before! Thanks, but no thanks.

[omega minimo]

25. I'm thankful I don't have to be inflicted with football on Thanksgiving.

:hi:

[PJPhreak]

26. My Lady has declared our house a "Football Free Zone" nt

[Hekate]

27. Happy Thanksgiving, Cherokeeprogressive. What a great post.

:9 :9 :9 :9 :9 :hug:

Hekate