For what do you give thanks? And, more importantly, why?
I give thanks for my health. For my family. For my friends. For my pups and kitties. For a roof over my head. For my job and thus the ability to sustain myself comfortably. For the ability to think and reason. For books filled with good stories. For my weaknesses that knock me down a few rungs every so often. For Him who created all that is, including life itself.
Which segues into the why. I am thankful because I value life. All life. Whether unborn or dying. Whether determined to be evil or good. I do believe we have a purpose. All of us. And that each of us has the potential to move forward to enable others to actualize that purpose.
Although the United States government sets aside a day for the purpose of Thanksgiving, it is our responsibility to sustain that thankfulness for the other 364 days. What an odd juxtaposition, therefore, to see this article about Black Friday.
Black Friday. The term 'Black' has two separate connotations as descriptor. For retailers, it is the day on which they make significant profits. But the earlier - and original - use of the word comes from Philadelphia in the mid-1960s. Cops and transportation workers called it 'Black' because of the chaos that came from so many shoppers flooding stores.
Well, this year, the 'Black' has reverted to that original meaning. Arguably blacker than that original meaning. A 34-year old man has died from capitalistic trampling. Egregious. In Wal-Mart of all places, a bastion of questionable competition in the 'free' world. I wonder how many of those trampling shoppers had joined in family feasts preceded by thoughtful prayers. I wonder how many considered that for which they were thankful. And I wonder how many made the commitment to sustain that thankfulness - not just into the new year - but into the next day.
Shame on those trampling shoppers. Shame on retailers for creating the climate. Shame on any of us who speak hollow words regarding thankfulness.
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