The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving. – H. U. Westermayer
I came across this powerful Thanksgiving quotation a number of years ago. Their author was not someone that I was familiar with, but that did not diminish the power that his words had in provoking my thoughts about the correlation between sacrifice, giving thanks, and gratitude. I saved the lines and have periodically revisited them during this holiday season. They seem particularly appropriate this year. With all of the death, chaos, calamity and enmity that has bombarded our world, so many approach this Thanksgiving Day bent by so many burdens that gratitude seems obscured in the dense fog of our collective losses. The quote above serves to remind us of the paradoxical question of life: Can we truly be grateful for our many blessings without ever actually experiencing loss, trials, tribulations or sacrifice? I think this is an important query for us all ponder especially this 2020 Thanksgiving.
All of us know people who are close to our heart that are currently enduring grave suffering be it COVID, cancer or some other malady or loss. We know that none of these sufferers are grateful for what they have or are going through, yet in virtually each and every case they note that, beyond the experience of pain, horror and grief that their afflictions have wrought, they remain mindful of an abundance of alternate and compensating blessings. These include a stronger manifestation of the love and appreciation they have for their soul mates who care for them, a profound appreciation of the power and strength derived from friends and relatives who gather both in person and in prayer on their behalf, and a stronger sense of the destiny that awaits us all beyond our mortal tenure.
Gratitude is found in sacrifice.
Virtually every American today feels a profound sense of gratitude for the young men and women who serve us in uniform. That feeling often compels us to approach soldiers we have never met and express our thanks for their service and sacrifice.
When we volunteer our time or donate money in support of organizations that care for the less fortunate and we feel that we are giving back in gratitude for what we have been given, we are essentially embracing the idea there is a correlation between sacrifice and gratitude. Simply put, we get by giving.
By definition, a sacrifice requires effort, commitment and investment on our part. A sacrifice does not happen by accident. It entails our ultimate acceptance of responsibility.
Our Christian foundation is rooted in the conscious and intentional sacrifice of Our Lord as the ultimate expression of His love for us. For that, we give thanks.
Our founding fathers endeavored to create a nation wherein its citizens could enjoy the freedoms of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That certainly should evoke thanks and gratitude from every American. However, those enlightened individuals who envisioned such a unique country and government, were well aware of the sacrifice that might be required to attain it. In fact, while much attention is given to the freedoms espoused in our Declaration of Independence, very little attention is paid to the last line of that cherished document – the line under which all affixed their signature. It reads:
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
These were not hollow words. Each of the signers of the Declaration of Independence knew that if their cause was lost to the English monarchy, they would most certainly be hanged, their possessions would be confiscated, and their names would be forever associated with treason.
The intentional willingness to sacrifice reaps reward and favor and gives reason for thanks giving. That is a principle written throughout history but seems both muted and absent in much of our entitled society today. The thankful heart is not necessarily an unburdened one, but it is one where it’s burden cannot outweigh its acknowledgement of and gratitude for the blessings that abound and surround us in any given circumstance.
None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy. – Fred de Witt Van Amburgh
Have a wonderful and AWE-full Thanksgiving!
William “Bill” Bacque