Luetkemeyer Column- Giving Thanks for Our Good Fortunes
Washington,
Nov 16 -
Turkeys and pumpkin pies and cornucopias; hot food coming straight out of the oven and the smell of baking cookies and bread sitting heavy in the air; children gathered around the television gobbling up the next holiday special along with some holiday goodies. It is a picture of American Thanksgiving that has persisted for decades and serves as a reminder that this time of year is not only a day to celebrate with loved ones but also a reminder for all of our good fortunes and blessings from above.
While our country still faces many challenges with so many folks struggling and our economic future in doubt, we must not forget that we as Americans still have many things to be thankful for and that our challenges are similar to those faced by the colonists in a little place called Plymouth, Massachusetts.
We must remember that these colonists had fled the religious oppression of their homeland and by doing so endured a grueling voyage in which they faced sickness and starvation. Those who survived the journey struggled through the grueling winter that followed. Ultimately, with the help of the Native Americans, the colonists and their new friends gathered together for a feast in 1621 that came to be known as Thanksgiving.
The spirit of that initial feast remains. This is the time of year when I often hear stories of strangers who give up their time selflessly to help those less fortunate. I know that many of us know folks who give up their Thanksgiving Day with family to help others. And when tragedies like Hurricane Sandy put folks to the test, Americans from all across the nation including Missouri step up to lend a helping hand. For that, we should all be thankful.
If I can think of one particularly inspiring reflections on what Thanksgiving is, I always go back to the following spoken by President Harry S. Truman in 1951: “We are profoundly grateful for the blessings bestowed upon us: the preservation of our freedom, so dearly bought and so highly prized; our opportunities for human welfare and happiness, so limitless in their scope; our material prosperity, so far surpassing that of earlier years; and our private spiritual blessings, so deeply cherished by all.”
With those stirringly profound words in mind, I wish you and your family a safe and blessed Thanksgiving.
