Saving Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because of the special food and the opportunity to spend time with family and friends. It’s estimated that a record breaking 80 million people will be traveling this year for Thanksgiving. It’s encouraging to know that people are still seeking connection and are willing to put in the work to build community. The close proximity to relatives we don’t normally see can bring joy, but also irritation when political and societal beliefs are not shared. To add complexity to the season, the origin of the Thanksgiving holiday is not the rosy story many of us were taught in school. In fact, some groups observe Thanksgiving as a day for grieving, protest, and remembering those who were oppressed and died while the U.S. government engaged in colonialism against First Nation people. Reader you may be asking yourself, is it possible to enjoy a holiday with a troubled past? Is it possible to share a meal with people who have politics and ideas that you may loathe to your very soul? The answers to both questions is Yes. Here are a few ways to thrive during this holiday:
Use this map to look up the address where you will be eating dinner. The map shows which Indigenous lands you are standing on. You can share this information during dinner and offer a prayer or moment of silence for those who lived here before us and endured oppression and hardship.
Pause and take a breath before engaging in a debate that you already know will have no winners.
If you do engage in a political conversation humility can be helpful. Admitting flaws in your candidate can help defuse tension.
You can demonstrate strength and maturity by bowing out and walking away. After eating all of that heavy food a walk may be helpful for a variety of reasons.
Here is a free hotline available on Thanksgiving Day to help people defuse tension before it leads to something more explosive. Use this link to reserve a spot.
It may sound cliche but actually taking time to write down and remember all of your blessings can help restore your own inner peace. Personally, I am so thankful for having love in my life.
TCA Forums and Instruction wishes you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!