Perhaps it's somewhat superfluous, even base intuitiveness, to talk of the meaning of Thanksgiving as simply 'giving thanks', but that is essentially what's at the heart of its true meaning.
In the United States we're all reasonably acquainted with the story of the first Thanksgiving, comparatively documented and associated with a celebration which took place in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1621. The participants were mainly Pilgrims and Puritans along with a number of Indians. They were blithe with their good harvest and were heartened to have a gathering to feast and give thanks, 'prayers of thanks' as they were known. Thus the first American Thanksgiving was born, as depicted by the classic 1914 Brownscombe painting titled 'First Thanksgiving at Plymouth.'
A brief point of historical perspective—While we've all familiar with the terms Puritans and Pilgrims, many are unaware that these were fundamentally different groups. Puritans were English Protestants who wanted their church, the Anglican Church, to give up all the remnants of Catholicism. The Pilgrims were considered Separatists, a band of Puritans if you will, forced to leave England. Some went to live in Holland and eventually came to America after Holland's truce with Catholic Spain. It was the so-referred Separatists, Pilgrims (wanderers), who came to America on the Mayflower after they were forced to leave England because it was considered treasonous for them to leave the Anglican Church.
However, lesser known to many Americans is that 'prayers of thanks' and special 'thanksgiving' ceremonies date as far back as 1536 to England during the time of the Protestant Reformation, and probably in one form or another even further back to many other societies and religions after good harvests. Though the holiday's history in North America is deeply rooted in English traditions dating in the main back to the Reformation.
These special religious thanksgiving services became even more central during the Reformation and reign of Henry VIII when the protestant populace strongly desired to abrogate the many religious services they were required to attend under their former Catholic calendar. Thus many previous religious holidays were eventually replaced by special days of fasting, or 'Days of Thanksgiving', which brought us closer to the more common single holiday. This, of course, was later much popularized in English lore by the beloved Charles Dickens novel, 'A Christmas Carol', published in 1843; which captured the British public's imagination about 'giving thanks' or if you will, giving back. And it was equally popularly received in the United States as well, having a similar affect on the American populace to 'give thanks' for what we had be given.
Notwithstanding though, back in America thanksgiving as we know it today didn't become a national celebration until President George Washington in 1789 exclaimed a nationwide thanksgiving holiday in America and extolled that a special day for Thanksgiving be celebrated on or around November 26. It was known as a special day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many special favors that had been bestowed upon our Country—'giving thanks', as Washington said.
And by 1863 Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving to be one of our national holidays.
Please pardon, for it was not my intent to give a historical narrative, but only to simply clarify the rooted meaning of thanksgiving, which to an even greater degree universally resides within all men of good will. And holding that thought for a moment, please allow me to tell you a story—a true story too—which very much exemplifies the point I made about good will and, most importantly, about—'giving thanks'.
I'm sure we've all heard the expression:
'What Goes Around Comes Around'
I've asked myself many times, too, while hearing this verbalism being used, what does it really mean. Does it actually have any validity or is it just some nice saying to make us feel good.
I thought with all the hatefulness and evil going on about us in the news and on the web that during this Thanksgiving holiday we needed an uplifting story to raise our spirits and give us hope, and more importantly, so we would not forget all the good there is in us as human beings.
The story I'm about to tell is in the true meaning of 'What Goes Around Comes Around', and, as I stated, a true story that you will readily recognize as having played a real part in your life as well.
It's not long and you'll be well rewarded in the spirit of 'giving thanks', which, after all, is the true essence in the meaning of Thanksgiving.
And so I begin: His name was Fleming and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools and ran to the bog.
There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.
The next day a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.
'I want to repay you,' said the nobleman. 'You saved my son's life.'
'No, I can't accept payment for what I did,' the Scottish farmer replied, waving off the offer. At that moment the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel.
'Is that your son?' the nobleman asked.
'Yes,' the farmer replied proudly.
'I'll make you a deal. If you will not accept monetary reward rightly deserved, let me provide your boy with the level of education my own son will enjoy. If the lad is anything like his father, he'll no doubt grow to be a man of whom we both will be proud.' And that he did.
Farmer Fleming's son attended the very best schools and, in time, graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London. He went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.
Years afterward, the same son of the nobleman—the one Fleming's father had saved from the bog—was stricken with pneumonia.
What saved his life this time? Penicillin.
The name of that nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son's name?
Sir Winston Churchill.
'Giving thanks' or giving back can in itself be its own reward, for when one gives back to others for what one has been given in life has been held to be the greatest gift of all.
To all a loving and a very 'giving' Thanksgiving, and please remember, What Goes Around 'Does' Come Around. jp