My Thanksgiving blog

My Thanksgiving Blog

Yesterday afternoon I turned on the TV and I saw a news segment on the Proud Boys – the group of men dedicated to the preservation of a white and male dominated society.

It was disturbing. It was disheartening to learn that there are many fellow human beings, on the earth, right now, who are determined to celebrate their pigment and their penises.

What’s up with that?

And it isn’t that they just want to party it up about the fact that they were born with light skin and male anatomy. They seem to be filled with rage that there are many people here in the United States with varying skin tones, diverse heritage and, well, female anatomy.

What’s up with that?

And, then there’s this virus. It’s traveling its merry way through the globe, spreading death and illness and pain and loss. And, some people, instead of helping to curb its destructive path, are filled with anger by others’ protective measures. Apparently, the loss of life and other’s pain does not match a loss of income and the continuation of “normal life.” But, the virus is stripping us of “normal.” And, normalcy is the least of our losses.

So, this sucks.

And, this leads me somehow to Thanksgiving.

I woke up this morning and the thoughts swirling through my brain were – angry violent men and a life altering virus, home cooked food and my healthy loving family, racism and rage, love and gratitude, and changed traditions and yes, the Thanksgiving Day Parade was on. But, there was no crowd. It was confusing and strange. And, then it was lovely and happy. And, that added to the confusion. Plus, Victor asked me to clean so that was thrown into the mix because – ew but, you know, has to be done. I guess.

Thanksgiving. It’s appropriate that my feelings about today are mixed; because this is a day that celebrates what? Well, when I was young I think it was somehow about how we took the land from the Native people but they taught us how to prepare corn anyway. Then, I learned it was started by Abe Lincoln to celebrate the end of the Civil War. More recently, I learned that George Washington said we should give thanks and prayer every year.

I don’t know. Visions swirl in my head of European settlers and Indigenous people along with broken treaties and broken people. I think about family and faith and wars and presidents. And, cornucopia – you know those wheat cone-type thingies that seem to hold pumpkins and squash. How does that fit in?

It’s a very strange year. Not just because there is hate and illness in the air, but because there is also heroism and goodness.

I guess that is the way it has always been – although the viruses seem to take a break every hundred years or so. I’m hoping.

Faith has always mingled with fear. And, giving has always co-existed with thievery.  Love has endured. And, it would appear so has rage and resentment.

So, I sat down to write a really lovely thankful Thanksgiving blog. And, this is what came out.

What’s up with that?