Gratitude and Thanksgiving
Hello Dear Ones!
Today I want to talk about shifting our orientation around Thanksgiving- the holiday and the concept. In the United States, many of us celebrate this holiday, and also many consider it a day of mourning. Did you know that? Many Indigenous People around the world consider this a day of mourning, as it continues to mark the genocide of Native Americans.
I was taught as a child that Thanksgiving is a celebration of family, of traditions passed down to me, and of gratitude. And yet- I have often wondered why something has always felt hollow at the same time. Was I spending enough time in gratitude? Was I even doing it right? And why did the gratitude part feel lonely and empty? I wonder: Have you ever felt this way?
I have learned in the last year that Thanksgiving is more and more an invitation to celebrate Native American Culture and Heritage.. and that this is a pathway toward repair and restoration.
So. I want to bring in the wise words of Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass. I have leaned into her wisdom and teachings as I have begun my own inner work of reframing Thanksgiving (and American History) for myself and for my family. In her book, she has a chapter called Allegiance to Gratitude. Reading it has truly begun a new stirring in my heart, and I want to share this with you. Perhaps it will resonate with you too.
Allegiance to Gratitude lays out the way many Native People begin every meeting, every start of a school day or work day, every connection with others. This is a process of together thanking the natural world, one facet at a time, and stating again and again that this gratitude unites us. That our gratitude aligns us. She shares that the actual wording varies with each speaker; she uses the text and version of John Stokes, and Kanawahientun (1993) as an example. Here are two verses of their Thanksgiving Address (which she shares). Perhaps these may inform how we proceed in this day, and in our relationship to life. Please note too that she encourages these to be shared broadly; they are meant to be shared and spoken by all.
Today we have gathered and when we look upon the faces around us we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things. So now let us bring our minds together as one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as people. Now our minds are one.
We are thankful for our Mother the Earth, for she gives us everything that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. It gives us joy that she still continues to care for us, just as she has from the beginning of time. To our Mother, we send thanksgiving, love and respect. Now our minds are one.
On this day, Thanksgiving, may we continue to love and celebrate family, life and the world around us. May we sit together and share all that we love and cherish, all for which we are grateful. May this unite us… and may we learn deeper and richer ways to do this from Indigenous People. May their wisdom guide us on this day, as we learn and grow. May our celebrations together bring healing, connection and a greater love for one another, and for the beautiful Earth that gives us life.
May this day be one that you remember as a landmark in your life, that matters to you, and that marks the next step in your own inner journey of growth.
If you are drawn to, please share these ideas. And. Put Braiding Sweetgrass on your reading list. It is an important book.
In deep gratitude for everything in this sweet life,
Rebecca
P.S. I am a loving friend, ally and co-liberator. If I have said anything that does not resonate, or does not properly honor Indigenous People, I ask for forgiveness and understanding, and I ask to be corrected so that I may continue to grow and learn. If you feel so moved, please email me via my CONTACT page and teach me (lovingly) what you feel I need to know. Thank you.
