It was 1621 when the Wampanoag and the Plymoth colonists spent 3 days together – a celebration that did not likely include Turkey or pumpkin pie, but did include lots of deer meat and other foods + the giving of thanks. It had been a rough year for the colonists. They were very grateful to have survived and were also grateful to the help given by the Wampanoag.
However, Thanksgiving did not become a national holiday until 1863 when Abraham Lincoln set aside the last Thurday of the month as a time of gratitude. (Interesting side note – President Franklin Roosevelt tried to change the date and make it earlier in order to stimulate the economy with more Christmas shopping, but failed)
It is good to set aside a day to focus on our blessings, but it is a better practice to try and assimilate gratefulness into our every-day life. There are many health benefits! Better sleep, lowering of blood pressure, a stronger immune system, more stable glucose levels have all been associated with a thankful heart according to studies.
So I wish you all a most Happy Thanksgiving. But I wish you all, even more, the habit of cultivating a grateful heart! No matter what position one finds themself in, there is always SOMETHING to be grateful for. Perhaps in the year ahead make a list….write it down…every day add something new to the list that you are grateful for! I did this once, and it really helped me improve my frame of mind. When forced to write down new items to be thankful for every day, I discovered that there were many things I took for granted. It definitely helped to change my outlook, so I think I will plan to do it again in 2026.
‘Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.”
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!
