Being Thankful

If there were to be a major holiday for alcoholics and addicts it would have to be Thanksgiving Day. Because that's when we give thanks for most everything.  And gratitude is the recurring theme for most of us in successful recovery.

And even though I have no ongoing resentments, I sometimes get irritated this time of year over how the media characterizes this holiday.  About half of the time "Thanksgiving Day" is expressed as "Turkey Day."  And while my memory may not serve me well, this has become a trend over the past few years.

So what's the big deal about Turkey Day versus Thanksgiving Day?  In my mind, demeaning this day with a focus solely on what we eat pays no homage to the purpose of the holiday.

For the historically challenged, it started in 1621 when the Pilgrims of the Plymouth colony celebrated a feast of thanks with their Native American neighbors.  Because they were grateful for a bountiful harvest. And through the years the holiday has become a time to reflect on our blessings.

My fear, though, is that if we trivialize this sacred day by making it all about what we eat then we've taken the spirit from of it.  It has become just another excuse to overeat a lot of rich food, rather than a day of gratitude for what God has provided.

Let us be grateful and also express it with Thanksgiving for our very existence,

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