Thanks Giving

Perhaps this year it's taken on a new meaning. I think of these two words - Thanks and Giving. Although up here we celebrate it within October I find that there are some things which are very apparent within the stream of America. It's that of this occasion, if there is one thing which never leaves the spirit within America it's the occasions of celebration. I remember and understand it well. And I will admit that it's a day that is of worth a bring about more than any rallies or politics but it's simply Thanksgiving time.

I do believe that there is a tremendous area within this holiday as aside of all that goes on within the world America is that of people which do celebrate traditions within a manner that give more meaning than just the "gobble - gobble" of the turkey. It is time where family and friends come together. If you ask me there is no country which celebrated this holiday within a manner of which is thankful.

To the left there are those whom may find it a hard time as holidays often do bring about something which some do feel down with. That is natural if you ask me.

Then there are those which have a rooted home bound meaning within all of this. What couldn't be better than to have all family and calls made from the day before to the very occasion.

Yes there are several countries which celebrate this time - yet from a distance now I have never seen the likes of the celebrations of Thanksgiving. I don't wish to dig back into the times which I have celebrated Thanksgiving within my own experience but I do wish everyone a very good one. Within the times of which we live there are the occasions such as this which make Thanksgiving a value within a society which is that which does not change the values of meaning within this time but more so reinforces it. Thus it's that time which sales are up, now that is good. Sure we can look at the things which are not. But within this traditional time I will be calling some friends as well I can smell the kitchens of those that are just a baking. And what I find is that there are these occasions which just bring about the value of what is red, white and blue.

Yet more so within a manner of a culture of a country which renders the essentials of what brought about things to be thank full for. Traditional occasions are not just within the turkey within America at this time of the year. They are literally within that harmony. From afar I do wish each and everyone within what I see as the great old USA a very Happy Thanksgiving. With that all said I would love to share a poem with you that are from the United States.

The Thanksgivings    

  Harriet Maxwell Converse 
Translated from a traditional Iroquois Prayer

We who are here present thank the Great Spirit that we are here
          to praise Him.
We thank Him that He has created men and women, and ordered
          that these beings shall always be living to multiply the earth.
We thank Him for making the earth and giving these beings its products
          to live on.
We thank Him for the water that comes out of the earth and runs
          for our lands.
We thank Him for all the animals on the earth.
We thank Him for certain timbers that grow and have fluids coming
          from them for us all.
We thank Him for the branches of the trees that grow shadows
          for our shelter.
We thank Him for the beings that come from the west, the thunder
          and lightning that water the earth.
We thank Him for the light which we call our oldest brother, the sun
          that works for our good.
We thank Him for all the fruits that grow on the trees and vines.
We thank Him for his goodness in making the forests, and thank
          all its trees.
We thank Him for the darkness that gives us rest, and for the kind Being
          of the darkness that gives us light, the moon.
We thank Him for the bright spots in the skies that give us signs,
          the stars.
We give Him thanks for our supporters, who had charge of our harvests.
We give thanks that the voice of the Great Spirit can still be heard
          through the words of Ga-ne-o-di-o.
We thank the Great Spirit that we have the privilege of this pleasant
          occasion.
We give thanks for the persons who can sing the Great Spirit's music,
          and hope they will be privileged to continue in his faith.
We thank the Great Spirit for all the persons who perform the ceremonies
          on this occasion.

As well,

 

The Pumpkin

by John Greenleaf Whittier

Oh, greenly and fair in the lands of the sun,
The vines of the gourd and the rich melon run,
And the rock and the tree and the cottage enfold,
With broad leaves all greenness and blossoms all gold,
Like that which o'er Nineveh's prophet once grew,
While he waited to know that his warning was true,
And longed for the storm-cloud, and listened in vain
For the rush of the whirlwind and red fire-rain.

On the banks of the Xenil the dark Spanish maiden
Comes up with the fruit of the tangled vine laden;
And the Creole of Cuba laughs out to behold
Through orange-leaves shining the broad spheres of gold;
Yet with dearer delight from his home in the North,
On the fields of his harvest the Yankee looks forth,
Where crook-necks are coiling and yellow fruit shines,
And the sun of September melts down on his vines.

Ah! on Thanksgiving day, when from East and from West,
From North and from South comes the pilgrim and guest;
When the gray-haired New Englander sees round his board
The old broken links of affection restored;
When the care-wearied man seeks his mother once more,
And the worn matron smiles where the girl smiled before;
What moistens the lip and what brightens the eye,
What calls back the past, like the rich Pumpkin pie?

Oh, fruit loved of boyhood! the old days recalling,
When wood-grapes were purpling and brown nuts were falling!
When wild, ugly faces we carved in its skin,
Glaring out through the dark with a candle within!
When we laughed round the corn-heap, with hearts all in tune,
Our chair a broad pumpkin, -- our lantern the moon,
Telling tales of the fairy who travelled like steam
In a pumpkin-shell coach, with two rats for her team!

Then thanks for thy present! none sweeter or better
E'er smoked from an oven or circled a platter!
Fairer hands never wrought at a pastry more fine,
Brighter eyes never watched o'er its baking, than thine!
And the prayer, which my mouth is too full to express,
Swells my heart that thy shadow may never be less,
That the days of thy lot may be lengthened below,
And the fame of thy worth like a pumpkin-vine grow,
And thy life be as sweet, and its last sunset sky
Golden-tinted and fair as thy own Pumpkin pie.

 

 

 

The song brings goosebumps to me as the song within it's own does seemingly represent that of a country I know.

God Bless America

 

 

~ Thanksgiving in America ~ As an Adult

As time went on I lived here in Canada and then at a certain point I moved back to New York. Literally it was just before Thanksgiving. And yeah I got married there, my ex was American Colombian and I have never seen such an array of people that celebrate. The condo that I bought had so many people from all over there was what would be my Uncles/Tio's and Aunts/Tia's and I will never forget the festive way that came with celebrating Thanksgiving and all that goes with it. I started to come to understand the language much later but most all only spoke Spanish. Yet within the American way - there were people invited that were Polish, Spanish and well it was something that was certainly within what is Thanksgiving.

To celebrate Thanksgiving with such a flavor of people was something all to new to me. But I really enjoyed it. And really came to be immersed within it all. From all the traditional food that go along with Thanksgiving as we know it combined with the spanish element was just too good. I remember calling four of my friends from Canada and I told them, "If only you could see this". As I was not used to all the dancing and spanish food combined with the laughter that goes in a spanish manner. Needless to say within the city you were invited into everyone's home just to make a visit and it was truly something that was to those that have been within the city of New York as it's the largest small town. Meaning people were just well I was within my element I guess.

There was this on rather older Polish lady whom lived on the floor below and her name was Joan. Joan was around 70 years of age but she was one that would call and in here Brooklyn accent, "Jack would you come down here?" Queens was Queens. Actually all of New York City was interconnected in a way. Not all but the most all that I came to know. And the festivities that took place each year for Thanksgiving were something that I find to be America at it's best.

Supper would start and the dancing would go far into the night and then the day after was taking the subway downtown and going to all the festivities. It was something but here too it was Thanksgiving but then some. Seeing the Statue of Liberty the followed day and going to all the places downtown St. Pat's and at the same time seeing the Christmas Tree up right next to the Rockefeller Center. It was just Thanksgiving and something that moves so right into the season of Christmas.

The history of what we know of as Thanksgiving comes from the pilgrims and they celebrated after the harvest season. The history is there and it's good I think that we all have maintained these traditions. And rightfully so as it's the fabric of traditions that we have not forgotten while so many things have been changed. But traditions of any nature and with Thanksgiving that does make up the original history. I think it's something that we certainly are thankful with. And I truly do think as time goes on we don't forget these areas and perhaps we are becoming more understanding of these traditions while at the same time understanding the value of those that celebrate other traditions as well.

I guess that is what Thanks and Give mean.

 

 

~ Thanksgiving in America ~ During my Youth

I have fond recollections of Thanksgiving within America when I was a kid. We would celebrate both the American and the Canadian Thanksgivings. Within October and then in November. It really came to be when other families started coming over with a pie or something that was related to what Thanksgiving meant. First would be the Thanksgiving within October and then the other was in November.

In October, my folks would get us all ready to call the grandparents and I remember having to almost yell as I spoke to them. On my mother’s side they came to learn the English language and often my mother would try to tell us how to pronounce “Happy Thanksgiving" within Hungarian but I could never get it right. And then there was the call to my father’s father – whom was of Norwegian decent. He knew the English language very well actually a very intellegent man when it comes down to it and looks looks exactly like my father and it was all too easy to wish him a very happy Thanksgiving. We were the only ones within my family that had moved to the states all our relatives were living within this small town by the name of Yorkton.

Then our neighbors whom really with many became literally like family – they would show up with something on the Canadian Thanksgiving, which amazed my father especially. Then it became a yearly ritual to celebrate both Thanksgivings.  Mom back then would bake for nearly three days and then on the American Thanksgiving the two of them would make there rounds to our neighbors and do the very same. Now as a kid it was something to have 2 Thanksgivings. The turkey, cabbage rolls and most off all ...........THE DRESSING. I am not sure about you but that was the best of the best and then thereafter enjoying the day with neighbors and playing football or climbing trees in the backyard. Yeah those were precious days.

I remember when my father was deciding to retire and my bother was up in Canada attending the Queens University. We would get up and head up to Kingston, Ontario and bring him back for only the Canadian Thanksgiving as it was only observed in October.  Driving back across the border and through the Adirondacks and into New York State and just turning to come back to where we lived and I will never forget my old man saying, “this really is home isn’t it.”

As it was…