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Edition:
September 02, 2010
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EDITORIAL
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Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Just a Derm Minute: Thanksgiving: A day to celebrate all we have
• by John W. Dermody
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Today, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009, is Thanksgiving Day. Some folks nonchalantly call it "Turkey Day," although it would be hard to believe the large white birds rejoice over being singled out for such an honor.
Yes, there is Thanksgiving the holiday, and there is "thanks giving," a general term for showing appreciation for all we have. At times we are prayerful; sometimes it is just a comment.
Young kids may sit at a food-laden table and offer their own type of prayer: "Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub."
In a more serious vein, persons often thank the Lord for blessings enjoyed, which may literally be today's Thanksgiving feast. Or gratitude may be shown for one's children, the well being of family members, a safe return of loved ones from a war zone, and for any heart-hugging reasons.
Despite economic woes in our country, don't we still have much to express thanks for? Surely, we live in a place that most of us wouldn't change for any other location.
Many words to live by
Without trying to sound like a church pastor, I know we should all strive to live good lives, be helpful to others and generally show our thanks for all the benefits in our world. There is much more on the plus side than the minus side.
A dark anniversary was observed earlier this week - the death of President John F. Kennedy. He had many "livable" quotes...and almost anyone 50 or over can quote the most famous: "Ask not..."
But here is an additional thought that he apparently felt Americans should embrace: "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."
Not all words of advice - especially from parents while kids grow up - are deadly serious, but the general atmosphere in the Dermody household was often in that general neighborhood.
Here are a few more, with the first in-step with JFK's.
A writer named Johannes A. Gaertner stated: "To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven."
Out of the ancient world, Cicero wrote: "A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues."
Sweet Thursdays
In other words, giving thanks is not limited to the 4th Thursday in November. We should show our appreciation frequently. And when that happens, good things occur.
Invariably, though, "thanks" is linked forever to our November holiday.
I also like this quote from someone I've never heard of, Wilbur D. Nesbit. He said in a couplet, "Forever on Thanksgiving Day/The heart will find the pathway home."
Obviously, there is much said during this season (and on through December) about heartfelt feelings, love of family and much more.
Famous playwright Thornton Wilder succinctly voiced his position with, "We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures."
Maybe Mr. Wilder, the author of the great play, "Our Town," knew E. P. Powell, who added: "Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude."
I love to stumble onto interesting, poignant quotes, especially when I've never heard of the speaker. This one fits so well with the others: "None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy." The author is Fred De Witt Van Amburgh.
The lighter side of 'thanks'
When facing Thanksgiving - and the Turkey in the middle of the table - sometimes the atmosphere can become lighthearted. How many times have we heard the word "diet" around holidays?
The late Erma Bombeck, a terrific syndicated columnist who died in 1996 from complications after a kidney transplant, wrote, "What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?"
Then she zeroed in on a phenomenon that many wives and mothers mention: "Dinners take 18 hours to prepare. They are consumed in 12 minutes. Half-times take 12 minutes. This is not coincidence."
In many instances, she was correct. Incidentally, she humorously added the following in a column: "If a man watches three football games in a row, he should be declared legally dead."
I assure you, she was joking...I think.
Finally, an anonymous author wrote a very appropriate eight-line poem:
May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey be plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!
About John ...
A freelance writer and photographer, John Dermody has been a resident of Frazee for more than 20 years. His interests include books, politics, education, music, sports and working to improve the community. He is a Frazee City Council man.
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