Why Thanksgiving Is More Important Than Ever This Year

[Geee]

The Federalist:

To me, Thanksgiving is one of the most wonderful holidays in the year, because it forces us into communion—most often, connecting a group of diverse people (in age, faith, political belief, even race) to break bread together.

 

But because of this enforced diversity, many families struggle to enjoy Thanksgiving: they see it as a strained and potentially controversial time. Some family members disagree politically; some fear judgment of their religious beliefs or lifestyle decisions. Others dread the skepticism and superciliousness of certain family members. How do we display grace and gratitude in such situations?

 

The first Thanksgiving, notes blogger and “Radical Homemaker” author Shannon Hayes, was “one of the greatest diplomatic moves in the history of this country.” When the Puritans and the Wampanoags gathered, having just recently signed a peace treaty, “there was still a lot of mistrust. That feast day was met with criticisms from both sides. The two communities weren’t exactly warm and fuzzy with each other. But they knew they had to work together. They had to push through the differences. They needed to break bread together.”

Perhaps it’s time again for us to use Thanksgiving as a diplomatic effort—as an opportunity to extend an olive branch, and break bread together.