This past year, 2007, was likely the worst year of my life, and today I'm asked to give pause and thanks for all that I have received, to recognize how blessed I am. It's like: Thank you sir, may I have another?
Yet I think about the first Thanksgiving, where the Pilgrim fathers were literally thankful just to have survived! Just living another year was cause for celebration.
I am surrounded by everyday conveniences the pilgrims would have considered miracles: grocery stores, central heat, and modern medicine. What was November 22nd, 1657 like for Norwalk's residents? They weren't watching the Macy'd Thanksgiving Day parade, shuffling to the Norwalk High-McMahon football game, or planning tomorrow's shopping spree. They were likely out in the cold, starving and hoping to come across a wild turkey just to be able to eat - nothing was promised to them that evening. Goodman Bettswood was likely stalking game on the very spot I'll sit down to eat my fattened bird, or which disposing of leftovers will be a problem (ha! That's our problem!...leftovers!). I'm not sure if my Bettswood image is accurate, but in my fantasy his hat has a buckle on it. "Pilgrim style".
Perhaps I'm naive for expecting a world where eighteen year-old brothers don't die, girlfriends don't dump you for matters superficial, money never creates a worry, and graduate school studies never get off-track. As bad as this year has been, it has certainty jerked me to reexamine my priorities. And that, perhaps more than anything, is what I should be thankful for. I'm twenty-six now, and the sooner the better I realize what is really important.
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