Thanksgiving

As I write this I, like many Americans, am like the turkey….STUFFED, and watching a football game.  But ,alas, let us not forget what THANKSGIVING DAY is for.

Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving. during the  Civil War.  To be celebrated on Thursday November 26.   But let us look back in our history.  We find there were numerous different dates for Thanksgiving.

In 1777, the first National proclamation came from the Continental Congress to set aside the 18th of December as a day for “Solemn thanksgiving and praise….”

October 3, 1789 President George Washington,  proclaimed and created the first Thanksgiving by the United States of America.  “To recommend to the people of the United States a day of thanksgiving and prayer……”   On November 26th George Washington,  John Adams, and James Madison.  But it is President Lincoln’s  proclamation that we still observe today.  Thanksgiving was to be celebrated on final Thursday of November.  In 1939 November had 5 Thursdays instead of 4.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt made the 4th Thursday of November Thanksgiving.  This was during the “Great Depression”  and perhaps he was thinking by pushing Thanksgiving back a week would give merchants an extra week to sell their goods before Christmas.

October 6, 1941 both houses of Congress passed a resolution to make the last Thursday of November, Thanksgiving Day, beginning in 1942.  However in December of 1941 the Senate passed an amendment designating the 4th Thursday as Thanksgiving day.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the bill thus making the date a matter of Federal Law.

In closing I think we, all Americans, have something to be thankful for.  I remember the story of the golfer who shot 100 for his day of golf, and was celebrating it.  Another golfer came in grumbling because he shot 75 that day.  The celebrating golfer asked why he was so upset shooting 75 while he was celebrating shooting 100.  The better golfer said “Yeah but your are used to shooting bad”

So what some one may take for granted another may be very thankful if he had it.  Imagine if that 1oo shooter had shot 75.  Or the homeless person who has found a box to help keep him warm as compared to the homeless person who only has newspapers for warmth.  We all have hope.  Some hope to win the Lottery,  Some hope for another day to be with family and friends.  Hope is something to be thankful for.  As long as you are alive you have hope things will get better.  And they usually do.

Hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving or if you are celebrating later in the week have a good one.  The day doesn’t matter as much as the having one.  We should all be thankful everyday we wake up, not just the 4th Thursday of November.

That is How I See It.

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