As possibly the most "American" holiday, it can be easy to find Thanksgiving somewhat distasteful. With its roots in a fictionalized tale of inter-cultural cooperation that soon became genocide, and the traditions of watching football and eating as much as you possibly can, it's easy to be cynical about Thanksgiving. But on the other hand, the idea that we set aside a day to simply being grateful for what we have is sort of amazing. I spent last Thanksgiving at the Hogar in Chaclacayo, and it was just an ordinary day, as you might expect. I was trying to decide whether to give in to pneumonia and go home or attempt to renew my visa. At the same time, I knew that I would soon have to deal with the ridiculous amount of excess that would greet me when I returned to the States in the midst of the holiday season. And I have found since then that gratitude is the only antidote to guilt. Because in being thankful for what you have, there is also the implicit acknowledgement that others do not have, and that we must always strive to balance that scale, to help others in any way that we are able.
On that note, I'd like to ask you to consider skipping the Black Friday craziness this year. I doubt many of my readers will be waiting outside superstores at absurd hours of the morning, but I really don't understand why we allow ourselves to be manipulated by corporations that have, to be frank, continuously fucked us over. I, for one, will be Occupying Black Friday, and I hope you choose to as well!
Have a great, gratitude-filled Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving can definitely be a minefield. Hope you had a good one anyway!
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