By Simon Gonzalez
The first unofficial Thanksgiving celebration made sense.
In the winter of 1620, half of the Pilgrims who came to the New World on the Mayflower died. The rest probably would have followed them to an early grave but for the largess of the indigenous people.
A member of the Pawtuxet tribe named Squanto, along with the Wampanoag Indians, taught the settlers how to grow corn and catch fish, the difference between edible and poisonous plants — how to survive.
In the autumn of 1621 the Pilgrims and the Wampanoags celebrated a successful corn harvest with a communal feast, giving thanks to God for His provision.
The first official Thanksgiving celebration made little sense.
It was 1863, during the height of the Civil War. Americans were killing each other. The nation was ripped asunder. Yet President Abraham Lincoln signed a proclamation declaring an official day of giving thanks.
“It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States … to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”
There had been decrees of Thanksgiving before, issued by George Washington, John Adams and James Madison. States, particularly in New England and the North, had scheduled Thanksgiving holidays. But Lincoln’s proclamation was the first to establish it as an annual national celebration.
The timing was curious. A day of thanks and praise in the midst of an awful war? But Lincoln — or Secretary of State William Seward, who wrote the words — got it right. Even in the worst imaginable circumstances we can find reasons to give thanks. The tricky part is taking our focus off the negative and shifting it to our blessings.
In the original proclamation signed by Lincoln, gratitude was due for a year that “has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.”
The call to give thanks did not ignore the very real problems facing the country, but rather urged Americans to turn to the same source and “with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.”
That seems like a good prescription for our present turbulent times. We have made much progress as a nation since the Civil War, yet we will always be an imperfect people, prone to strife and division. Americans are still losing their lives in service to their country. We suffer disease, death, poverty, depression.
Even so, we have much to be thankful for. Many of us will spend Thanksgiving Day with family and friends, enjoying a feast and fellowship. We live in a country where we enjoy many freedoms. The sun will come up tomorrow. Even in the worst of times, while we draw breath there is hope.
Let’s remember that this day is not about food and football or even the election. Let’s consider our blessings and find something to be thankful for. Perhaps then, thanks giving can become an attitude, not just a day.
“See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:16-18).
