Everybody in the US celebrates Thanksgiving - a tradition that began with the early settlers (Pilgrims) in New England who survived severe hardships and lived to enjoy a good harvest. Many years later, President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November as the American National Thanksgiving Day. It is quite another matter that tables groaning with food and stuffed stomachs are the most visible features of Thanksgiving in the US nowadays.
Be Grateful
It is a great idea to set aside a special day to acknowledge and be grateful for all the good things in one's life. I guess we should be counting our blessings every single day, but we often forget :(
If I had to pick one short sentence for Thanksgiving, this is it:
Thou who hast given so much to me, give me one more thing - a grateful heart!
George Herbert (scholar, orator, philosopher and poet) wrote this - and much else besides! He gave up worldly ambition and became rector of a parish where he preached, wrote and worked for the common folks in the countryside of 17th century England. He suffered from tuberculosis and died by the time he was forty.
Be Grateful
It is a great idea to set aside a special day to acknowledge and be grateful for all the good things in one's life. I guess we should be counting our blessings every single day, but we often forget :(
If I had to pick one short sentence for Thanksgiving, this is it:
Thou who hast given so much to me, give me one more thing - a grateful heart!
George Herbert (scholar, orator, philosopher and poet) wrote this - and much else besides! He gave up worldly ambition and became rector of a parish where he preached, wrote and worked for the common folks in the countryside of 17th century England. He suffered from tuberculosis and died by the time he was forty.
How much is Enough?
It is human nature to want more, to not be content with what one has. Let's see what some other great minds tell us:
Adam Smith, the father of economics: Wants are unlimited.
Another thinker: The world has enough for everybody's need, but not enough for everybody's greed.
Spurgeon, 18th century preacher: You say, "If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied." You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled.
Finally, an anonymous quote for the cynic:
If you can't be thankful for what you receive, be thankful for what you escape.
It is human nature to want more, to not be content with what one has. Let's see what some other great minds tell us:
Adam Smith, the father of economics: Wants are unlimited.
Another thinker: The world has enough for everybody's need, but not enough for everybody's greed.
Spurgeon, 18th century preacher: You say, "If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied." You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled.
Finally, an anonymous quote for the cynic:
If you can't be thankful for what you receive, be thankful for what you escape.
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