The sun shines bright this morning, casting a beautiful glow across the bare trees. There are a few trees who hang onto their leaves as those shine with an even more intense golden glow from the rising sun. I feel grateful to see this.
I don’t know if it’s because we had such a warm fall and many sunny days, but I can’t believe it’s Thanksgiving time again. It seemed like just yesterday I dressed Dylan up in his cute little outfit, snapping on his little blue necktie. We grabbed our homemade baked cookies and pumpkin pie and headed out to visit our family. It’s just the start of this magical season of family, good food, beautiful decorations and time spent sharing stories. I love it.
Yet as much as I look forward to this time of year, it saddens me to no end to see what’s it’s become. Instead of warm wishes sent, ads take over our inboxes, mail boxes and YouTube breaks. You can’t walk into any store without being hit immediately with sale signs, offers and opportunities that make it ‘too easy’ to purchase more ‘stuff’. It’s an ‘art’ for these companies, brought down to a science, knowing the right colors, words and offers to put out there.
Yet it’s not just the day after Thanksgiving that’s targeted anymore. Sadly ‘Black Friday’ has somehow found its way to the one night a year entire families gather and share a common meal, say a little prayer or actually stop for a moment to give some kind of thanks…no matter how big or small. These companies have become so good at ‘selling’ that they actually win some of us over, over time spent with family.
Only if the Pilgrims and Indians would see us now…the way some act this time a year over material stuff…we’d be a joke. The first Thanksgiving was shared in great appreciation for each other… people not even remotely close to family were accepted and appreciated. There was a true thankfulness and appreciation for the very truth they had food on the table. Something now so easily taken for granted. Hundreds of years passed and somewhere along the way we act like we’re entitled to this. Somewhere along the way we’ve lost our appreciation for what we have… food and family as we somehow find ourselves hypnotized by the ads the stores dangle before us.
I wonder how much the average person actually ‘saves’ shopping in a mad rush buying all the deals. I wonder, are the gifts bought really needed or wanted by the ones we’re buying for? Is that sale really worth rushing through a dinner that took so long to prepare, a dinner that should be shared with our loved ones and given thanks for? A Thanks perhaps that we are the fortunate ones to actually have food on the table and not out there starving like many unfortunate ones in this world.
Although gratefulness and gratitude should be given and practiced daily, we all have to be honest with ourselves, days go by where we forget to say thanks for the good in our lives. Living a busy life, it is often things are taken for granted. Thanksgiving day should force us to slow down again. To ‘reset’. Stores should be closed so the workers don’t have to work and so there are no temptations for people to buy more but to remind us to stop and actually see what we have around us and to perhaps…be thankful for it.
Remember, every single sale, no matter how ‘incredible’ it might seem, has its price. A great deal that might save you $100.00 or so, making you feel you really made out, you’re trading in your precious time for. Fighting crowds, waiting in line for hours and time with family is lost. Worse of all, the whole point of what Thanksgiving Day is even about is completely forgotten.
Under this roof, we will be making cookies and pies and getting ready to spend an evening with family. Maybe it’s not for everyone. There are many who love that ‘rush’ of excitement of a good deal or to see if they can make it ‘there’ first. If that’s where you find yourself the happiest then I wish you the best to get what you want.
Yet for everyone else who feels pulled in two directions between shopping or enjoying a real Thanksgiving dinner, sit back and look at the big picture. If you never saw the ads, the enticing offers and sales, your life would go on as normal, you’d be fine and perhaps think twice before you bought something because you’re spending your hard earned money.
Yet if was a family member you cared for and were told you were to never see them again, it would change your entire life. Think about the big picture and put yourself in that place. Things come and go. They break, they are outdated in a year anyway. The love of friends and family is forever. Don’t let the games of these big companies persuade you otherwise.
In front of us we all have the very things we should be grateful for in the first place.
Leave a Reply