Quote of the Week

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On Thanksgiving Day, we acknowledge our dependence.
               - William Jennings Bryan
                  American Politician and Orator (1860-1925)
                  US Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson

The Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving

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I came across this poem recently, and today’s the perfect day to share it with all of you.  Have a Happy Thanksgiving

The Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving
By
Edgar Albert Guest (1881-1959)

It may be I am getting old and like too much to dwell.
Upon the day of bygone years,  the days I loved so well;
But thinking of them now I wish somehow that I could know
A simple old Thanksgiving Day, like those of long ago.
When all the family gathered round a table richly spread,
With little Jamie at the foot and grandpa at the head.
The youngest of us all to greet the oldest with a smile,
With mother running in and out and laughing all the while.

It may be I’m old-fashioned, but it seems to me to-day
We’re too much bent on having fun to take the time to pray;
Each little family grows up with fashions of its own;
It lieves within a world itself and wants to be alone.
It has its special pleasures, its circle, too, of friends;
There are no get-together days; each one his journey wends,
Pursuing what he likes the best in his particular way,
Letting the others do the same upon Thanksgiving Day.

I like the olden way the best, when relatives were glad
To meet the way they used to do when I was but a lad;
The old home was a rendezvous for all our kith and kin
And whether living far or near, they all came trooping in
With shouts of “Hello, daddy!” as they fairly stormed the place
And made a rush for mother, who would stop to wipe her face
Upon her gingham apron before she kissed them all,
Hugging them proudly to her breast, the grownups and the small.

Then laughter rang throughout the home, and Oh, the jokes they told;
From Boston, Frank bought new ones, but father sprang the old;
All afternoon we chatted, telling what we hoped to do,
The struggles we were making and the hardships we’d gone through;
We gathered round the fireside.  How fast the hours would fly-
It seemed before we’d settled down ’twas time to say good-bye.
Those were the glad Thanksgivings, the old-time families knew
When relatives could still be friends and every heart was true.

Thanksgiving?

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 I just want to smack those few parents across the country who are causing a ruckus, attempting to eliminate Thanksgiving pageants, celebrations, and dress-up for small children because they are “offended” by the “Indian” garb (”stereotyping Indians,” they say) or the supposed whitewashing of the history of the conflict between Europeans and original natives of this land.

My family has traveled extensively in the Southwest and do we have stories…one in particular was the day we climbed up a steep mesa some hundreds of feet in the August heat to be greeted by hovels for homes but a spectacular view.  I questioned our guide as to why people would have ever lived up here on this barren rock formation with no ability to plant because the only water was rain or water carried up the difficult trail.  He said at first, “look at these beautiful views.”  Well, they were breath-taking.  But the living conditions were seemingly below the minimum allowable for human beings.  He then continued with, “Living up here gave great safety to the tribe from other tribes who would rob, kill our young men, and then take our women, children, cattle and possessions.”

“Oh.”

Nonetheless, having school children enact scenes of peace and mutual respect and camaraderie does nothing to defame the indigenous population or the fleeing Europeans…in spite of the funny looking clothes (oh, and “Goth” looks any better?).

I am concerned, as are many others, with the growing trend of one “offended” person having sufficient power to rip away the fabric of American tradition; of small groups rebelling violently against fair, democratic elections, and the fearful gutlessness of those who stand by and let this all happen.