Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!!!

[Bob Womack]

It's been 403 years since settlers of the Berkley Plantation landed on the banks of the James River in what is now Virginia, USA, and inaugurated a yearly celebration of Thanksgiving. That was one year and seventeen days before the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and almost two years before the Pilgrims celebrated their Thanksgiving.

In 1789, President George Washington declared the first national day of Thanksgiving, without any reference to historic precedent, and it has been celebrated ever since. In 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed Thanksgiving and traced it to the Pilgrims. Virginia State Senator John J. Wicker contacted the White House and begged to differ. Historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. replied and apologized, blaming the error on understandable New England pride. In 1963, President Kennedy corrected the error, including both origins in his proclamations.

But the root of the celebration is Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving for our blessings. Amid the sturm und drang (storm and stress) of daily life, it befits us to take time to seek out and give thanks for our blessings. Scientists tell us it is beneficial to our health to do so. It is possible to do so without being utterly commercialized and without being reduced to a bliss ninny. I turn to famous Scots poet Robert Burns for the most humble of thanksgivings, known as "Burn's Grace":

Some hae meat,

and cannae eat.

And some wad eat

that want it;

But we ha'e meat

and we can eat;

And sae the Lord

be thankit.

In my home we have much to be thankful for. For thirty years my lovely wife has suffered from chronic migraine. You know those blinding migraine headaches that some people get occasionally that are so debilitating? For thirty years she has suffered from them all day, every day. It wasn't a question of whether she did or didn't have a migraine, it was only how bad is it now? It reduced our lives to the point where we pretty much didn't make plans. Instead, we lived in "serendipity": when she felt okay-ish, we tried to do what needed to be done. We prayed for thirty years for her to be relieved. This year a new therapy has been developed and she has transitioned to it. The difference has been remarkable: she is down to four or five incidents per month. I like to say that she has laughed more in the last thirty days than she had in the last thirty years. This is a huge transformation and answer to prayer for us.

Besides that, in the tradition of Robert Burns, we do have food on our table and we are healthy enough to eat. Our core family is now reasonably healthy. Like most other families we have our challenges, but, as they say, we are able to "sit up and take nourishment." We have love between us and have meaning and music in our lives.

So, we will sit down to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner today, albeit a much more expensive one. We will both enjoying our blessings and give thanks for them. And we wish the same joy and blessing on you.

Bob

[rmp]

back at ya Bob

I too have blessings beyond count that I couldn't even begin to list here.

Today shall be a Zen day. I can feel it..

[Chickee]

Happy Thanksgiving Bob, to you and yours! My favorite holiday.

This 22.5 lb. beauty was enjoying a meal of grass and grain before being readied for me to pick up at the farm yesterday afternoon. We will be sure to thank this Tom for his contribution to our holiday during dinner.

Again, Happy Thanksgiving all you CoolCats!

[BillyH]

Happy Thanksgiving day Bob and all. Tis a day to enjoy!

Billy

[srick]

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! Be safe and healthy!

[random works]

Wonderful news to be thankful for concerning the reduction in migraines.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[Murphy Slaw]

I've got a 20 pounder on the Traeger cooking with mesquite...

[gmel555]

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

[jaymarsch]

Originally Posted by Murphy Slaw

I've got a 20 pounder on the Traeger cooking with mesquite...

I learned about Traegers on the Dan Patrick show. Sounds absolutely yummy!
Best,
Jayne

[Glennwillow]

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

- Glenn

[bendandsnap]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

[AmericanEagle]

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

[Lkristians]

Happy Thanksgiving all!

[Stratcat77]

Wishing everyone a great Thanksgiving!

[RP]

Same to you and yours, Bob as well as all of my AGF buddies...