As we are on the cusp of that great American gorgefest known as Thanksgiving, I was thinking about this "spirit" of the day that exists.
Originally, like a man trying to get laid, the Pilgrims plied the Indians with alcohol and a fancy dinner before trying to screw them. So is the taking of land and spreading of VD the meaning of the day?
No my friends I think not.
A crazy New England lady hounded Presidents for years before one, Old Abe Lincoln, married to an insane woman himself and thus used to it, relented and named the national day of Thanksgiving. She wanted a wholesome day where families would gather and give thanks and worship.
Well, that's all caved in through the years I think. The only thing likely worshipped these days is a steriod-fed, slow, dim-witted bird. BUT, still yet we feel compelled to seek out family or what approximates family in our lives for the holiday.
Now I tend to be as sarcastic and snotty as anyone and you might suppose I'd mock such an event, with all the commercial hype and redundant rituals that it has. But no, I do not. I embrace it. We Americans are so self-loathing and schizophrenic these days that I think it highly valuable to still gather and pass the gravy to one another. We can go back to destructive self-hatred the day after, no problem.
I used to even think "turkey and mashed potatoes? Please that's not test of culinary skills! I'm making this or that instead. But no tomorrow I fix all the traditional favorites.
I bow down to the tradition and comfort of friends and family gathering and consuming wine and food and watching football games. The day after that I'll return to my normal mocking mode.
Peace.