The Essence of Thanksgiving

     When people get toward the end of their lives, and think about the things that really matter, they do not think about the deal that got away at Target, or the big screen TV they could have gotten on Black Friday at Walmart.  They think about about relationships, really having been there with someone they love- or having missed that opportunity.  They think about people and experiences, not things.

     An advertisement for a store that is opening at 5pm on Thanksgiving proclaims- this is your opportunity to get your family what they really want!  What they want is not that you rush off from Thanksgiving dinner anxiously with your credit card to go buy something- they want your presence.  Your presence, and the quality of your attention, is the greatest gift you have to give- so please consider not reinforcing the kind of thinking that says you should go shopping on Thanksgiving . Please think about spending Thanksgiving with your family rather than at the mall.

     All working people should have Thanksgiving off work.  Supporting that belief is another reason not to shop on Thanksgiving.  If I go shopping at a store that makes its employees work on Thanksgiving, my being in the store and my purchases vote that I am ok with the company decision to make these employees spend part or all of their Thanksgiving away from their families.  I am so not ok with it.

     Blessings to you and your family as we celebrate a day of giving thanks.