Maybe this is a stretch. It's certainly a bit outdated with the approach of Christmas - the holiday for which Thanksgiving serves as an healing balm.
Thanksgiving is celebrated as a time to count our blessings, a harvest festival with ancient roots tied to the natural high-latitude season for chowing down.
But in a world of mechanized agriculture, in a colonized land filled with immigrants of various races, ethnicities and religions, I'm thinking the cultural significance of Thanksgiving stems from its symbolism of community harmony. Thanks for not killing me. I have no plans to kill you.
Think of the iconic image of Thanksgiving: pilgrims and Native American's dining together. An armistice before the grueling winter. We're all in this together. Pass the turkey, please.
At Thanksgiving, Jews, Muslims and Christians can - and do - dine together without the theological ackwardness that accompanies religious holidays like Christmas, Hannukah or Ramadan. (Saying grace aside, of course.)
Next time someone asks me what holiday is the most important in America, I'm going to tell them it's Thanksgiving.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
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2 comments:
Not a stretch at all... what Christmas stands for is the immeasurable gift for which authentic being is eternally grateful.
...and always grateful for it a little late or in advance :-)
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