Yes, I know that today is not Thanksgiving Day. Yes, I know that the official American holiday falls on the fourth Thursday in November, not the third. So, yes, I know that I’m a week early. But I’d like to begin to offer some thoughts on Thanksgiving, even though we won’t be sitting down to a Turkey dinner for another 168 hours or so.<\/p>\n
Why start a conversation about Thanksgiving now? I do not mean in any way to undermine the power of the traditional holiday. I think it’s great that the United States continues to set apart a day a year for giving thanks. And I think it’s doubly great that most of us still believe that Thanksgiving is a day for actually giving thanks to God, not just a time for feeling nebulously thankful. My hope is that by writing about Thanksgiving a week early, I might actually enhance your celebration, not detract from it. Thus, today’s post will be the first of several on giving thanks. <\/p>\n
There is a danger, I believe, in identifying one day a year as Thanksgiving Day. It’s the danger of implying that thanks is due on this day, but not on others. We face a similar danger, for example, when we designate the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. Shouldn’t children honor their mothers more than once a year? Similarly, shouldn’t we be thankful more often than once a year on the fourth Thursday of November?<\/p>\n
As a Christian, I would argue that giving thanks to God is important because it honors God. I would also argue that consistent gratitude is consistent with biblical teaching. But there is also case for gratitude that doesn’t depend on biblical theology. In fact, it appeals to common sense and even self interest. To put the matter bluntly: Gratitude will improve your life. <\/p>\n
Gratitude magnifies our experience of the good things in life, enabling us to enjoy them more thoroughly. Gratitude also helps us to endure the hard things in life with dignity, perhaps even with humor. Gratitude is like savoring a fine meal, enjoy every bite, rather than racing through a meal as if it’s some sort of race.<\/p>\n
Let me offer a person example of what I’m talking about here. I was able to go to college because I received generous financial aid. Harvard expected me to earn a fair amount of money through working, both during the summers and the school years. I was also required to take out a reasonable loan. But the majority of my tuition, room, and board was covered by a grant from the school. This was not a merit-based scholarship, I might add. I’m not bragging here. Harvard’s assistance was based on financial need, of which I had plenty. (Photo: Straus Hall, my freshman dorm.)<\/p>\n