My earliest memories of Thanksgiving feature a small apartment in the Bronx, where my aunt and uncle hosted five other adults, plus seven children.
The day was marked with laughter, tears and food fights — at the kids’ table — while things were more sedate for the grown-ups. Since then, the faces have changed, but a boisterous crowd seems a necessary ingredient of my family’s feast.
Many folks with similar memories may miss the crowded table this year, because the pandemic has greatly reduced large gatherings.
Still, spending the Thanksgiving weekend with fewer people — or even alone — needn’t be a recipe for unhappiness. Below are suggestions for brightening the holiday.
First, list the people in your life you’d like to thank. These might include the patient uncle who taught you to drive and the aunt who shared her secret for pie crusts. A grandmother who taught you to read and a teacher who helped you conquer algebra.
My list has grocery store cashiers who’ve soldiered on through the pandemic, plus the folks who bag items and stock shelves. Clergy who quietly risk their own health to visit ailing people, medical personnel braving the crowded hospitals — and let’s not forget researchers working diligently on vaccines.
Second, perform special acts of kindness for others. Write a letter to someone far away, call relatives to share memories — and contact others who are alone.
Kindness also can extend to Christmas gift buying, which often starts Thanksgiving weekend.
A charity called “Angel Tree,” a program sponsored by Prison Fellowship (prisonfellowship.org), gives gifts, along with notes from the parents, to children whose mom or dad is in prison.
Donating to this ministry — which also provides the kids with Bibles — can start the shopping season on the right note.
Prayer is a kind act with intangible, but precious, rewards. Pray for the sick and shut-ins in your congregation, pray for peace and healing in our nation — and for folks with no one to pray for them.
Finally, it helps to recognize everything we have comes from God. Did you savor a good meal today? Do you have a roof over your head? Do you have friends who love you? Were you born into a caring family?
It’s easy to be grateful when life is rolling along smoothly and we feel secure and safe.
Now, when so many lives are disrupted, due to the pandemic and loss of jobs, gratitude may become a challenge. Still, as the Apostle Paul wrote, “Rejoice always, pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances.”
For me, it helps to remember God is still in charge — and can bring light out of the darkest hour.
He is still keeping the world in orbit, presenting stunning sunsets and painting the trees with amazing colors. He hears every prayer and knows the longings of every heart.
And during this weekend especially, we can remember the lyrics of an old hymn. “Now thank we all our God with hearts and hands and voices. Who wondrous things has done. In Whom his earth rejoices.” May God bless you, dear readers!
Lorraine’s email address is lorrainevmurray@yahoo.com
