Give thanks today, but don't forget about tomorrow

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

All of us know about one of the first Thanksgiving meals shared in America between the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians in 1621. But the official holiday wasn’t put in place until over a century later.

In 1789, Elias Boudinot, member of the House of Representatives, moved that a day of Thanksgiving be held to thank God for giving the American people the opportunity to create a Constitution to preserve their hard won freedoms. A Congressional Joint Committee approved the motion, and informed President George Washington. On October 3, 1789, the President proclaimed that the people of the United States observe "a day of public thanksgiving and prayer" on Thursday, the 26th of November. This tradition was continued, but not on a consistent basis. Then in 1827, Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of Ladies Magazine and Godey’s Lady’s Book began pushing for the establishment of an annual thanksgiving holiday. After 36 years of crusading, she finally got her wish. On October 3, 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed that November 26 would be a national Thanksgiving Day, to be observed every year on the fourth Thursday of November.   

Up until know, I had never heard about these historical pieces behind the Thanksgiving holiday we know today. But I found it incredibly heart-warming that people have always for a day to give thanks for all of life’s blessings.

I always find it annoying in November when everyone on Facebook writes about something they are thankful for each day of the month. I know that as soon as the holiday comes and goes, they will all go back to being completely oblivious to the things they were so grateful for weeks earlier. But this year, I’ve had a change in heart. Whether you list out your blessings on Facebook or say them aloud around the Thanksgiving table, everyone is bound to forget those things as soon as Black Friday hits. But taking one day, or one month a year to remind yourself of those things is a good training exercise. It’s like people who only pray during a crisis or when they need something. It might not be the best form of prayer or recognition of God, but it at least proves that one does hold a belief in something greater than themselves. That moment of selfish prayer or singular day of gratefulness may seem hypocritical and transparent, but is a baby step towards offering words and prayers of thanks on a daily basis---for the good and the bad things in our lives.

So on Thanksgiving, give thanks for all of the blessings in your life. But when you wake up tomorrow, and each day after, try to remember to give thanks on those days too.