Tuesday, November 20, 2007

A Time for Thanks

This American holiday tradition is celebrated in other countries in some similarity such as OctoberFest. And although many people declaim a fondness for this holiday, I find it a particular joy.

A touch of background. The first Thanksgiving in the United States was celebrated together in 1621 by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag as thanks for the first successful harvest. Removing the religious surroundings of this first Thanksgiving day we are left with a diverse group sitting together in thanks.

The only gift of Thanksgiving was of companionship, survivability and thankfulness for the bounty of the harvest.

Those of you who will celebrate this in the USA and for those of you who do not celebrate this but whom I know elsewhere. Slovenia, Slovakia, England, New Zealand, Canada, Brazil, Japan, Australia, Germany, Russia, Denmark, India, South Africa, Italy, Spain, France, Brussels, Ireland, Venezula, Carribean, Scotland, Netherlands, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Bulgaria and others I can't remember (these were intentionally not put in a particular order) I wish you to know this:

ON THIS DAY, THURSDAY NOVEMBER 22, 2007 I WILL RAISE MY GLASS AND TOAST ALL OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME. I WILL TOAST OUR FRIENDSHIP. I WILL TOAST OUR SURVIVABILITY AND I WILL TOAST THE THANKFULNESS OF THE BOUNTY OF JOY, LAUGHTER AND HAPPINESS WE SHARE TOGETHER.

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