Gratitude in Crisis: A Thanksgiving Reflection

Updated from a post on 11/24/2016

This season I’d like to offer a Thanksgiving reflection on my favorite national holiday. During my own hard times, I’ve often lulled myself to sleep with a gratitude list. This tradition is rooted in American history, beginning in 1863 and extending through our recent conflictual election.

During the Civil War, with the nation torn apart and hope in short supply, Abraham Lincoln decreed that the Union should “count its blessings” on the last Thursday of November. His proclamation acknowledged the struggles of that era but also highlighted enduring strengths.

President Lincoln’s gratitude list

Here is an excerpt from Lincoln’s gratitude list as included in his proclamation. I have spread it out so you can appreciate it more:

“In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, . . .

order has been maintained,

the laws have been respected and obeyed,

and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship;

the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements,

and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore.

Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battlefield;

and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.”

Lincoln’s call to give thanks also acknowledged our country’s resilience.

Giving thanks in crisis

Before President Lincoln issued this proclamation, Sarah Josepha Hale,  a well-known publisher and promoter of women’s suffrage, spent years advocating for a national day of thanks. Secretary of State William Seward drafted the actual proclamation, which Lincoln signed during one of the darkest periods in American history. With the Civil War tearing families and the nation apart, his message offered an antidote to despair, encouraging Americans to reflect on what remained firm.

This truth about gratitude resonates today. The practice of gratitude, whether through journaling or reflection, shifts our focus from difficult challenges to the gifts we often overlook. Thanksgiving embodies this practice on a larger scale, fostering unity and hope among our whole country in difficult times.

 

Gratitude across borders

This year, Thanksgiving holds even deeper significance for my family because we have heard stories from refugee friends who have come to the United States seeking safety and freedom. In September, we attended a naturalization ceremony for one who has spent five years working toward U.S. citizenship. Happy tears and the snapping of pictures brought home to my husband and me just how precious our natural-born rights are.

Spending time with our friend and her family has given us a new appreciation for life in the U.S.—from the freedom to walk the streets safely to the beauty of our landscapes to the rights that women enjoy here.

We look forward to this year when these new Americans will bring dishes from their native cuisine to our table, making the holiday even richer with the flavors of their journey.

I wish you the blessing of a grateful heart!

«««—»»»

Holiday treat for you

Watch your inbox for a free download of my Christmas story about Annie and Daniel’s first year of holiday-making together

 

 

Free stories to share:

Though I haven’t read all these stories,I do curate the lists to suggest only clean, well-crafted fiction. I hope you find some writers among them whose work you enjoy. I certainly have!

Pick a free book & leave a review

Women’s fiction

Clean historicals for adults & YA

Historical romance