Another day?

Okay, my cynical side often thinks that a day is simply another day. Regardless of the birthday or the celebration or anniversary or memory or event, it is simply another day. I recall the Y2K ubiquitous fear of 1999 where it was postured, even propagated, that the world as we know it would come to a screeching halt on January 1, 2000. Our blood ran cold as we feared the prophecy of the computer age destroying the essence of everything we call existence.

And we went to bed at midnight on December 31, 1999 wondering if we would have running water or electricity or an automobile or even a home on January 1. We woke up the next morning and experienced another day, a day like the day before and the day before and the year before and the decade before. Simply another day.

The question: Is Thanksgiving Day simply another day? The answer is yes. Since time and the calendar are both man-made entities (yes, I recognize the potential fallacy of this statement due to the natural revolution of the earth, the sun, the moon, etc.), it stands to reason that what we know as Thanksgiving could occur on any day in the year. In fact we can celebrate, eat turkey, cranberries, dressing, corn, and other delectable treats anytime we feel so led. To take it further, we can acknowledge historical events anytime we think about it. This can include your first tooth coming in, the birthday of your grandfather, the Declaration of Independence, your first automobile, the end of World War I, your first cell phone, or the end of communist reign in China.

We celebrate Thanksgiving Day as a historical reminder of the Pilgrims who ate with the Indians in a kind of marriage of two opposing cultures coming together to offer thanks for their sustenance. A charming and important event for sure. But overall it just seems like another day to me except for one thing--family! Regardless of the excuse, and regardless of the day that is set aside for turkey and lots of great food, the joy comes not from the day itself but from the opportunity to be with family.

In some ways I believe we should be thankful everyday for our blessings and I believe we should spend time with family whenever possible. We should not have to set aside a day for thankfulness or family time. But we do and I'm glad, for without Thanksgiving I have a feeling our times together would indeed be rare. It is at Thanksgiving we share, we eat, we enjoy each other's company and mostly spend quality time together. Yes, it is another day, but our culture has developed into a special day and a day I value. So my analytical, logical side answers the question with a yes, but my sensitive, emotional side answers with a resounding no!